State security unit will lead private guard for Yashar leader

Israeli political leaders have long sought state protection, but until now, only those with public office received it. That standard is shifting for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, who will receive a new security arrangement starting Sunday morning.

A private security firm will provide the physical guard for Eisenkot. However, that team will operate under the direct instruction of Unit 730, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the Shin Bet, according to a party announcement.

The change in protocol followed a dispute over Eisenkot's risk level. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection. In September, the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence and threat evaluations. That review led the committee to recommend that the Shin Bet oversee the Yashar leader's security.

Zini subsequently approved a broader set of measures for party leaders who hold no other public office. These measures include intelligence support, permission for hired security teams to carry weapons, and coordination between the Shin Bet and private guards. The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these terms until the next Knesset is sworn in.

Yashar told The Jerusalem Post in September that no detail had been assigned to Eisenkot despite Zini's approval. That gap closes with the activation of the Unit 730 directive this Sunday.

Not all party leaders have seen their petitions succeed. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, requested protection citing a threat level comparable to Eisenkot's. The Shin Bet has denied Golan immediate protection at this stage.