Eisenkot Guarded by Private Firm Under State Orders

A private security firm will protect Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot beginning Sunday morning. The arrangement places the private guards under the direct command of Unit 730, the elite division of the Shin Bet.

The security shift resolves a months-long dispute over state protection for opposition leaders. Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled in August that Eisenkot did not qualify for Unit 730 protection. The stance changed in September after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed new intelligence on the Yashar leader. The committee recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his safety.

Despite the approval, Yashar reported in September that no detail had yet been assigned to Eisenkot. The party announced the operational plan only days before the guards begin their duty.

Zini approved a wider framework for party leaders who do not hold public office. The measures include intelligence oversight from state units and permission for private security teams to carry weapons. The Shin Bet will coordinate with these teams and conduct periodic assessments of the threat level.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to manage these arrangements until the next Knesset is sworn in. Not all leaders who requested protection have received it. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, petitioned for similar security citing a comparable threat level. The Shin Bet denied his request for immediate protection.

The state structure now relies on private contractors to execute the physical protection. This approach limits direct state personnel involvement while maintaining intelligence agency control over the operation.