Shin Bet refuses security protection for Gadi Eisenkot

The head of Israel’s Shin Bet, David Zini, has declined to provide official security protection for Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and former IDF Chief of Staff. Despite repeated requests from Eisenkot’s team, the security agency stated it would only provide intelligence support and a point of contact for specific events rather than a full security detail.

Eisenkot’s staff has raised alarms regarding an increased level of physical threat, citing a volatile political atmosphere and ongoing Iranian threats against high-ranking Israeli officials. In response to the decision, Eisenkot’s office sent a formal warning to relevant authorities, including the government’s legal advisor, alleging that the refusal to provide protection is driven by political motives.

The letter emphasized that current private security measures are insufficient to address the rising tension on social media and in the streets. Eisenkot’s team noted that they had previously resorted to hiring a private security firm due to a lack of intelligence capabilities to supplement private guards, but they maintain that the state holds the responsibility to provide immediate, close protection.