Shin Bet Unit 730 to Direct Private Guards for Gadi Eisenkot

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, will be guarded by a private security company beginning Sunday morning. The Yashar party announced that the private firm will operate under the direct instruction of Unit 730, the elite counter-terrorist unit within the Shin Bet.

This arrangement resolves a months-long dispute over state protection for the party leader. In August, Shin Bet director David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection. However, the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed new intelligence and threat assessments in September and recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his security details.

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

Despite the approval in September, Yashar stated that no security detail had been assigned to Eisenkot at that time. The party confirmed the activation of the private guard for the start of this week.

Not all party leaders have received similar state support. 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 Golan immediate protection at this stage.