Justice Minister allows Shin Bet to decide on security for party leaders after full panel no-show

The committee, chaired by Levin, was expected to decide whether party leaders who do not hold official positions would receive security protection until the 26th Knesset is sworn in.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin transferred authority to the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) on Wednesday to determine the security arrangements required for party leaders who do not currently hold official state positions, after every other member of the ministerial committee responsible for Shin Bet affairs failed to attend a meeting convened to decide the issue.

The committee, chaired by Levin, was expected to decide whether party leaders who do not hold official positions would receive security protection until the 26th Knesset is sworn in.

However, none of the committee's members attended the meeting except Levin.

Following the ministers' absence, Levin decided to transfer authority to the Shin Bet to independently determine what security arrangements are required for each of the relevant party leaders.

The discussion came amid an ongoing dispute over security protection for party leaders who do not hold official state positions. Last month, the public committee responsible for determining security arrangements for public figures recommended providing security for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot until the elections.

Justice Sohlberg calls for discussion on security for party heads

The issue of security for party leaders without official state positions was raised last month. Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg contacted the head of the National Security Council and asked that the relevant authorities discuss the matter, following requests received from, among others, Eisenkot and Yair Golan.

The public committee subsequently recommended that Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, receive security protection until the elections. The recommendation was then forwarded to the ministerial committee responsible for Shin Bet affairs, chaired by Levin, for a decision.

Even before the recommendation was issued, former senior officials in Israel's security establishment had called for Eisenkot to receive security protection, citing concerns that he could be targeted and pointing to the increasingly extreme tone of public discourse.

The signatories included former senior officials from the IDF, the Shin Bet, and the Mossad.