The Supreme Court heard a petition filed by 'The Democrats' party regarding the Israel Security Agency's (Shin Bet) decision not to provide security to the party's chair, Maj. Gen. (Res. ) Yair Golan. At the end of an ex parte hearing attended by Shin Bet representatives, Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit suggested the party representative withdraw the petition. "We have a professional body whose expertise is in this matter, and we will not interfere," Justice Amit explained.
He noted that while the issue raised is significant, the agency conducts ongoing personal security activities and can assist the party in coordinating with the police for specific events. The representative for 'The Democrats' replied that the proposed solution does not allow the party to conduct an election campaign. The petition was filed following the decision of the advisory political committee not to recommend security for Golan, and the subsequent referral of the decision to the Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs, which placed the matter under the responsibility of the Shin Bet Director.
The party petitioned against the Shin Bet Director, the Ministerial Committee, and the Government of Israel, arguing that the threat level against Golan was defined by the police as high (4 out of 6), and the petition included examples of severe threats against his life. Following the filing of the petition, the Supreme Court had previously ordered the Shin Bet Director, the committee, and the government to reconsider the need for Golan's security based on the current threat assessment and to update the court.
According to reports, the Shin Bet stated it would remain a "professional body" dealing with the matter. It should be noted that no further details were provided regarding the threat assessment or the final decision.