The High Court of Justice has issued an order requiring the head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, the Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet affairs, and the government to immediately evaluate the need for providing security to the chairman of The Democrats party, Major General (res. ) Yair Golan. According to a Channel 13 report, authorities are required to conduct a re-examination based on the current threat assessment and update the court on their decision within 48 hours.
This marks a significant development in a petition filed by Golan and his party, which sought urgent judicial intervention due to mounting threats against Golan as the Knesset election approaches. In the petition, Golan and his party argue that, according to data from the Israel Police's threat assessment division, the risk level against the chairman has been raised to level 4 out of 6—the same level assigned to 'Yashar' party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, for whom security was approved.
The petitioners complained that despite prior written requests submitted to authorities, including a direct appeal to Shin Bet Chief Zini, their requests remained unanswered, leaving Golan without state protection. Evidence presented to the court included documentation of explicit physical threats against Golan and his family. This includes an incident where a brick was thrown at the Channel 12 studios with a letter containing death threats specifically targeting Golan.
Furthermore, petitioners presented incitement on social media, including calls for physical violence against him and his family. The party’s CEO, Omer Lubaton Granot, argued in the filings that the lack of security represents both a security and moral failure, highlighting the concrete fear of an escalation into physical harm. The broader legal and public context involves reports that the Public Advisory Committee on VIP Security approved the need for Eisenkot’s security; however, the recommendation has yet to be implemented, with security officials alleging deliberate delays by committee chairman Ronen Cohen.
Counsel for Golan emphasized to the court that the potential harm is irreversible, as physical harm to human life cannot be remedied by a late court judgment, underscoring the urgency of preventative security measures in a tense political climate.