Shin Bet Unit 730 to Command Gadi Eisenkot's Private Guard

Shin Bet Unit 730 will take direct command of the private security detail for Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot beginning Sunday. The domestic security agency issued a statement confirming that a private firm will provide the physical guard while operating under the specific instructions of the elite unit.

This arrangement follows a multi-month process to secure protection for heads of political parties. In August, Shin Bet chief David Zini initially ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection. The decision reversed after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed new intelligence and threat assessments in September. The committee subsequently recommended that the Shin Bet assume oversight of his security.

Despite Zini's approval, the Yashar party reported in September that no security team had yet been assigned to Eisenkot. The agency later detailed a set of measures for party leaders. These protocols include an intelligence oversight framework, permission for hired security teams to carry weapons, and direct coordination between the Shin Bet and those teams. Periodic assessments will also gauge the threat level facing each leader.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these security arrangements for party leaders who do not hold public office. The authorization remains in force until the next Knesset is sworn in. Not all petitioners have received this protection. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, requested similar coverage citing a comparable threat level, but the Shin Bet has denied him immediate protection at this stage.

The new protocol takes effect Sunday morning. The shift places the private guards under the direct operational control of the state agency, marking a formal change in how security is delivered to senior political figures without official state posts.