Shin Bet chief David Zini has denied a request to provide security for Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, whose party is leading in most opinion polls ahead of the October 27 election, multiple Hebrew media outlets reported Saturday.
The party asked for Eisenkot to receive guards because of increased threats against him since becoming the leading candidate to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Channel 12, Haaretz, Walla and other Hebrew media, the Shin Bet will provide Eisenkot with intelligence assistance relating to threats, but not an armed security detail.
People close to the former IDF chief reacted angrily to the decision, telling Channel 12 that the level of risk against him had risen amid the intensifying election campaign and threats from Iran.
After receiving the Shin Bet’s response, Eisenkot’s campaign wrote to various top officials, including the attorney general, warning of what it said were the dangers posed by the decision, Channel 12 reported. The letter alleged that political considerations were behind the decision not to provide him with a security detail.
