The leader of Israel’s Yashar Party, Gadi Eisenkot, is reportedly under security threat but is being denied armed security by the government. Election polling for the upcoming October 27th elections gives the newly formed Yashar Party a slim lead over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. The same polls give Eisenkot a lead over Netanyahu as the most likely next prime minister.
Eisenkot, through his campaign director, sent a letter to David Zini, the Director of the Shin Bet internal security force, regarding the lack of protection, according to a report on Israel’s Channel 12 television.
“In light of a number of incidents that have occurred in recent weeks, as well as a series of troubling publications, we have decided to secure the party chairman with a private security firm,” the letter reads. “It should be noted that permission was not given for us to provide him with armed protection, and therefore this is an unarmed security detail.”