Unit 730 assumes direct control of guard for Yashar leader

A private security firm will protect Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot beginning Sunday under the direct command of Unit 730, the elite protection unit of the Shin Bet. The party announced the arrangement on Friday, ending a months-long dispute regarding the level of state protection for opposition figures.

The shift in command follows a reversal of an earlier decision by Shin Bet chief David Zini. In August, Zini ruled that Eisenkot did not meet the specific criteria required for elite protection. That stance changed after the Advisory Committee for Personal Security reviewed new intelligence and threat evaluations in September. The committee subsequently recommended that the agency oversee the leader's safety.

Despite Zini's approval, the Yashar party stated in September that no security detail had been assigned to Eisenkot. The new protocol resolves that gap by placing a hired private team under the agency's operational control. The Shin Bet outlined a broader framework for party leaders that includes intelligence support, permission for hired guards to carry weapons, and regular threat assessments.

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs granted Zini the authority to set these arrangements for party leaders who hold no elected public office. The authorization remains active until the next Knesset is sworn in. While the Yashar chairman now has state-backed security, the protection is not universal. Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, requested similar coverage citing a comparable threat level. The Shin Bet has denied that request for the time being.