Shin Bet Grants Gadi Eisenkot State Protection After Herzliya Intrusion

The Shin Bet will assign a dedicated security detail to Gadi Eisenkot starting this Wednesday, marking the end of a prolonged negotiation over his personal safety. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party and the anti-Netanyahu political bloc, had repeatedly requested state protection. The agency previously resisted providing its own officers, offering instead to allow his private guards to carry firearms.

The shift toward full state protection follows a specific incident in Herzliya on Sunday. An unidentified woman entered the building where Eisenkot lives. She spent several minutes trying to locate his apartment before leaving. Eisenkot was away at the time, but his wife, Hannah, was home. Channel 12 reported that the agency is investigating the entry, though the woman's motives are not yet clear.

Protesters also gathered outside the residence that same evening. They accused Eisenkot of being a traitor and held him responsible for the death of his son, Master Sgt. (res.) Gal Eisenkot. Gal died fighting in Gaza in December 2023, while Gadi Eisenkot served on the security cabinet. Footage from the scene showed a man using a megaphone to shout at the family. The protester directed threats at Eisenkot's wife, telling her she would be next to her son. The demonstration lasted several hours and ended around 9 p.m. without arrests.

The Yashar party filed a formal complaint with the Israel Police after the protest. The complaint alleged that the man, identified by Hebrew media as Yossi Cohen, threatened Eisenkot and his wife with murder. This event followed an August recommendation by the Public Advisory Committee for Personal Security to provide state protection. The Shin Bet initially rejected that advice, citing a lack of specific intelligence to justify the move.

In the days leading up to the October 27 election, the Shin Bet began overseeing security for three opposition leaders: Eisenkot, Yair Golan of the Democrats, and Ofer Winter of the People of Israel. This arrangement was a compromise reached under the guidance of Shin Bet Unit 730, which secures top Israeli officials. Other opposition figures, including Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, already hold Shin Bet protection as former prime ministers.

The October 27 election left the political landscape without a clear majority. Winter’s party failed to clear the threshold for Knesset entry. The opposition currently holds 67 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This group splits into Jewish-led parties with 48 seats and Arab-led parties with 19 seats. Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition retains 53 seats. Anti-Netanyahu parties are working to form a government, with several leaders supporting Eisenkot for the initial coalition attempt.