Netanyahu's wife, sons to receive extended Shin Bet protection, PM granted lifelong security

The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs has approved extended personal protection for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, and their sons, Yair and Avner. The Prime Minister himself will receive lifelong security coverage.

Sources indicate that the committee deliberated on the duration of protection for each family member. Sara Netanyahu will be protected for as long as her husband remains alive. Yair and Avner Netanyahu will receive protection for a minimum of five years. Initial discussions had considered lifelong protection for Sara and annual reviews for the sons before a consensus was reached.

This decision will be implemented irrespective of the upcoming Knesset election results. The move follows significant pressure from the Prime Minister and his wife, and comes after Shin Bet Chief David Zini approved the family's request to present the extended protection proposal to the committee. Zini previously served as the Prime Minister's military secretary.

Shin Bet and Mossad officials assess that Netanyahu and his family are at a "lifetime threat level." This assessment is attributed to a desire for revenge from adversaries of the State of Israel, stemming from recent conflicts. The committee clarified that this decision applies solely to the Netanyahu family, with the security needs of relatives of other former prime ministers to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.