Unit 730 to Direct Private Guard for Gadi Eisenkot This Weekend

The Yashar party announced on Friday that state security agencies will assume direct control over the protection of chairman Gadi Eisenkot beginning Sunday.

A private security firm will provide the physical guard detail starting Sunday morning. This team will operate under the direct operational orders of Unit 730, the elite unit of Israel's domestic security agency, the Shin Bet.

The change in protocol stems from a September review by the Advisory Committee for Personal Security. That body examined updated intelligence regarding threats against Eisenkot. It subsequently recommended that the Shin Bet oversee his arrangements, reversing a decision made in August when Zini initially found Eisenkot did not meet the criteria for Unit 730 protection.

Zini approved a specific set of measures for party leaders who do not hold public office. These measures include an intelligence oversight framework from intelligence units. They also grant permission for hired security teams to carry weapons. The Shin Bet will coordinate directly with these teams and conduct periodic assessments of the threat level.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these arrangements. This authorization remains in effect until the next Knesset is sworn in. Despite Zini's approval, the Yashar party told reporters in September that a specific detail had not yet been assigned to Eisenkot.

Not all requests for such protection have been granted. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, petitioned for Shin Bet coverage citing a comparable threat level. The agency has denied him immediate protection at this stage.