Yashar Leader Eisenkot to Be Guarded by Private Firm Under Shin Bet Oversight

Starting Sunday morning, a private security company will guard Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot under the direct instruction of Unit 730 of the Shin Bet. The Yashar party announced the arrangement on Friday, marking the first time a private firm will operate under such specific state intelligence oversight for a party leader who holds no public office.

The decision follows a months-long dispute over Eisenkot's protection status. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for elite unit protection. That assessment shifted in September after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed updated intelligence and threat evaluations. The committee subsequently recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his security.

Despite Zini's approval, Yashar told The Jerusalem Post in September that no detail had been assigned to Eisenkot at that time. The Shin Bet has since defined a set of measures for party leaders. These include an intelligence oversight framework, permission for hired security teams to carry weapons, and coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams. The agency will also conduct periodic assessments to gauge threat levels.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these arrangements for party leaders who are not otherwise entitled to state protection. This authorization remains in force until the next Knesset is sworn in. Not all leaders who requested protection received it. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, petitioned for similar protection citing a comparable threat level, but the Shin Bet has denied him immediate protection at this stage.

The new protocol requires the private firm to follow Unit 730 directives immediately upon starting its shift Sunday. The state will maintain the coordination and intelligence support structure outlined in Zini's approved measures for the duration of the current parliamentary term.