State Agency Controls Yashar Leader's Private Guard

The Shin Bet will direct the private security detail for Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, starting this Sunday. The party announced that a private firm will provide the guards, but Unit 730 of the domestic security agency will issue direct instructions to the team.

The arrangement follows a dispute over whether Eisenkot qualified for state protection. In August, Shin Bet director David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 coverage. The status changed in September when the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence. The committee recommended state oversight, and Zini subsequently approved the measures.

Yashar leaders stated in September that no detail had been assigned despite the approval. The current directive clarifies the operational chain of command. The Shin Bet also approved a wider framework for party leaders. This includes intelligence support, authorization for hired security to carry weapons, and periodic threat assessments.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these rules for leaders without public office. The authorization remains in effect until the next Knesset is sworn in. The agency aims to standardize protection for political figures who are not otherwise entitled to state guards.

Not all requests for protection have been approved. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, petitioned for similar security. He cited a threat level comparable to Eisenkot’s. The Shin Bet has denied his request for immediate protection at this stage. The agency is now implementing the approved protocols for Eisenkot as the first leader under this specific arrangement.