Shin Bet must protect Eisenkot before political violence brings Israel another tragedy - editorial

Israel knows the devastating effects that incitement and political violence can wreak on the fabric of a taut society. It can tear it in two.

One only has to look back to November 4, 1995, when prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, the target of vicious incitement campaigns over his support of the Oslo Accords, was gunned down by far-right ultranationalist Yigal Amir. Israel has not been the same ever since.

Although the country has not experienced another political assassination, the specter remains always just under the surface. Security for elected officials was heightened, and warnings from Israel’s security services about the threat of political violence have accompanied every election campaign since that dark day in November 1995.

That’s why the decision, as reported by N12 on Saturday night, by Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief David Zini not to provide Yashar Party head Gadi Eisenkot with a security detail is so perplexing and worrisome.

Eisenkot has emerged as Benjamin Netanyahu’s leading challenger in the October 27 poll. The decision was reportedly made despite regular threats directed at Eisenkot on social media and warnings from the defense sector that Iran and other hostile actors may attempt to target current and former senior officials.

Eisenkot’s campaign field director wrote to Zini and other security officials in June saying the Yashar leader had been forced to hire a private security firm because he was not receiving state protection.

According to the N12 report, Zini’s representatives told Eisenkot’s staff that while the Shin Bet would not provide him with a security detail, the agency would assign a liaison and gather intelligence if concerns emerged about an exceptionally serious incident. However, the request for permanent protection was denied.

Netanyahu, Lapid, leading candidates in 2022 election, both received full security detail

In the last election campaign in 2022, both leading candidates, Yair Lapid and Netanyahu, were provided with full security details - Lapid as sitting prime minister and Netanyahu as a former leader as part of the lifelong package for past heads of government.

Following Zini’s decision, Eisenkot’s campaign submitted its objections in writing to the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and the attorney-general, warning that physical threats against the former IDF chief of staff were escalating, and he called for the decision to be reversed.

“The atmosphere on the Israeli street, as well as on social media, is becoming increasingly heated, and threats are emerging and multiplying,” the letter said.

Just last week, N12  reported that Zini was considering providing Eisenkot with an armed detail amid indications that Iran was increasing efforts to harm Israeli leaders as elections drew close.

The decision not to grant Eisenkot state protection during the campaign is playing with fire. One only has to scroll on social media or watch one of the TV news talk shows to see that the level of vitriol on all sides of the political fence is reaching alarming proportions.

Zini's decision politically motivated?

The suggestion has been raised by the Eisenkot team that Zini’s decision was politically motivated. The letter sent by his team in protest alleged that the government, the Ministerial Committee on Shin Bet Affairs, and the committee’s chairman “are failing to fulfill their personal responsibility for political and ulterior motives and are avoiding carrying out their duties.”

Eisenkot’s campaign further alleged that a consideration in denying the security detail was a desire to avoid images of Eisenkot looking “prime ministerial” by appearing in public surrounded by security personnel – images which could boost his stature in the public eye.

Although that sounds somewhat conspiratorial, it’s worth noting that the chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Shin Bet Affairs is Netanyahu, and its members consist of Defense Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yair Levin, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Education Minister Yoav Kisch.

Zini has already faced claims that he’s a Netanyahu appointee who has pledged allegiance to the prime minister. Now is the time to smother those charges and demonstrate that the decisions of the Shin Bet are being made with solely professional considerations in mind, and not according to political alliances.

Granting Gadi Eisenkot a state security detail leading up to the October 27 election is the surest way to clear the air. And more importantly, doing so will help ensure that another devastating national tragedy has less of a chance of taking place.