Security upgrade for Yashar party leader

The Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot will now have security provided by the Shin Bet's elite Unit 730, following an updated threat assessment. This marks a significant change from earlier in August, when the Shin Bet chief David Zini determined that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for protection by the elite Unit 730. After the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence and threat evaluations in September, it recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his security. Zini approved the security measures, and the Shin Bet has now authorized the private security company to operate under the direct instruction of Unit 730. The security measures include intelligence oversight, permission for security teams to carry weapons, coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams, and periodic situation assessments to gauge the threat level facing each leader.

The Shin Bet's authority to set security arrangements for party leaders who hold no public office and are not otherwise entitled to state protection was given by the Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs. This authorization remains in effect until the next Knesset is sworn in. However, not every party leader who has asked for protection has received it. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, also petitioned for Shin Bet protection, citing a threat level comparable to Eisenkot's. The Shin Bet has denied him immediate protection at this stage.

The Shin Bet has approved a set of measures for party leaders, including an intelligence oversight and support framework provided by intelligence units, permission for security teams hired by party leaders to carry weapons, coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams, and periodic situation assessments to gauge the threat level facing each leader. These measures are now in place for Eisenkot, who will be guarded by a private security company operating under the direct instruction of Unit 730 from Sunday morning. The Yashar party announced this change in security arrangements, marking a significant upgrade for the party leader.

The Shin Bet's decision to provide security for Eisenkot follows a prolonged effort to obtain protection for the heads of political parties. The Yashar party told The Jerusalem Post in September that no security detail had yet been assigned to him, even after Zini approved security for Eisenkot. The updated threat assessment and the recommendation from the Advisory Committee for Personal Security were key factors in the decision to provide elite security for the party leader.