Shin Bet Tightens Security for All Israeli Ministers on Election Day
The Shin Bet ordered stronger protection for every government minister on Tuesday as Israelis voted in the Knesset election, N12 reported.
The instruction covered the entire cabinet, not a single minister, according to N12 correspondent Yaron Avraham, who reported it at 12:26 on October 27. The Shin Bet did not publicly explain what prompted the move.
Stronger protection across the cabinet
According to the report, the security service told the units responsible for ministers' safety to reinforce the arrangements around every member of the government. Channel 14 reported that the measures include the use of protected vehicles and additional technological means.
The Shin Bet has not said how long the extra measures will stay in place. Israel News Pulse could not independently find information about a specific threat or plot behind the decision.
A tense campaign
The order came on a day of high tension. Earlier on Tuesday, police detained a man carrying a knife near Democrats leader Yair Golan in Tel Aviv, and a Democrats activist was later assaulted near a campaign stand in Holon. Hamas also sent Israel a warning this week, through a UN official in Gaza, that it was ready to carry out another October 7 style attack.
Israeli leaders have been protected by the Shin Bet's VIP security unit for decades. The memory of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in 1995 by a Jewish extremist still shapes how seriously threats against elected officials are treated, especially during election campaigns.
Shin Bet chief praises election day
Shin Bet director David Zini also addressed the Central Elections Committee on Tuesday. In remarks carried by N12, he said election day was being managed well, while acknowledging attempts to interfere with the system. His comments concerned the voting process itself, not the protection of ministers.
No change for voters
The security order does not affect voters. Polling stations stay open as planned, most of them until 22:00, with some closing earlier. Voters should follow the Central Elections Committee's instructions for their own polling station.
