A ministerial panel in Israel has voted to transfer the responsibility of protecting the family of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from a special police unit to the Shin Bet security agency. The decision came after his wife, Sara Netanyahu, was trapped inside a Tel Aviv hair salon for several hours last week while hundreds of protesters gathered outside. The move applies to the couple’s sons, Yair and Avner, but not their oldest daughter, Noa.
The protesters, who were demonstrating against the government’s plans to curb the judiciary, had also targeted Sara Netanyahu, chanting slogans such as “The country is burning, and Sara is getting a haircut”. The incident has been widely reported in the media, with many noting that the Prime Minister’s wife gets her hair done at taxpayers’ expense.
Sara Netanyahu later claimed that she feared for her life and thanked security forces for their “personal concern”. She also accused former Meretz deputy minister Yair Golan of calling for her murder, a claim that he vehemently denied.
The incident occurred on the same day that the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved a government-backed bill to restrict the High Court of Justice’s ability to strike down legislation. Critics say that the measure, along with other controversial laws being pushed through by the government, will undermine Israel’s democratic system of governance.
Transfer of Security Responsibility to Shin Bet
The transfer of responsibility for the protection of the Netanyahu family from the police to the Shin Bet security agency is an unusual move. The Shin Bet is responsible for protecting high-level officials, such as the Prime Minister himself, and its agents are typically armed and trained to deal with security threats.
The decision was made by a ministerial panel that includes representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Justice. The panel cited security concerns as the reason for the move.
Controversial Legislation
The incident outside the hair salon occurred on the same day that the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved a government-backed bill that would limit the High Court of Justice’s ability to strike down legislation.
Critics of the bill say that it will concentrate power with the ruling coalition and remove the court’s ability to act as a check on the government. The legislation is part of a broader effort by the government to push through controversial laws that many say will undermine Israel’s democratic system of governance.
Supporters of the plan argue that it will fix a situation in which an unelected judiciary has undermined the will of elected politicians.
The Decision to Transfer Protection of PM’s Family to Shin Bet
The decision to transfer responsibility for the protection of the Prime Minister’s family to the Shin Bet security agency comes after a high-profile incident outside a hair salon in Tel Aviv. The incident occurred on the same day that the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved a government-backed bill to restrict the High Court of Justice’s ability to strike down legislation. Critics of the bill say that it will undermine Israel’s democratic system of governance, while supporters argue that it will fix a situation in which the judiciary has undermined the will of elected politicians.
