Israel Approves Lifelong Security for Benjamin Netanyahu and Family

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs approved extended personal security protection for Benjamin Netanyahu and his family on July 16, 2026. Under the new arrangement, the Prime Minister will receive lifelong protection, while his wife, Sara Netanyahu, will be protected for the duration of her husband's life. Their sons, Yair and Avner, were granted protection for at least five years.

These security measures will remain in place regardless of the outcome of the October 27 Knesset election. The decision followed heavy pressure from the Prime Minister's office and requests from Sara Netanyahu, who sought guarantees that protection would not be terminated following a government change, as had occurred after the 2021 election.

Shin Bet Chief David Zini, a former military secretary to the Prime Minister, proposed the measures to the committee. While the National Security Council and Shin Bet initially resisted the long-term commitment, the decision was ultimately justified by Shin Bet and Mossad officials who assessed the family as facing a "lifetime threat level" due to risks of revenge following recent wars. Former Shin Bet official Yaron Bluem criticized the move as "irrelevant, unserious, and nearly delusional," arguing that political pressure overrode professional security assessments.