Shin Bet Unit 730 Takes Command of Gadi Eisenkot's Security Detail

The Shin Bet will assume direct command of the security arrangements for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot beginning Sunday morning. A private security company will provide the physical guard, but its operations will fall under the strict instruction of Unit 730, the agency's elite protection branch.

The change in protocol follows a months-long review by the Advisory Committee for Personal Security. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection. That determination reversed in September after the committee examined updated intelligence and threat evaluations. The committee subsequently recommended that the state agency oversee the leader's security.

Yashar officials had previously reported to The Jerusalem Post in September that no detail had been assigned despite Zini's approval. The agency now confirms that Zini approved a specific set of measures for party leaders. These measures include an intelligence oversight framework, permission for hired security teams to carry weapons, and periodic assessments to gauge threat levels. The agency will coordinate directly with these private teams.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these arrangements for party leaders who do not hold public office. This authorization remains in effect until the next Knesset is sworn in. Not all requests for such protection have been granted. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, also petitioned for Shin Bet coverage. He cited a threat level comparable to Eisenkot's, but the agency has denied him immediate protection at this stage.