Sara Netanyahu said pushing to guarantee security detail for family for next 5 years

PM and wife reportedly fear election loss could lead to removal of protection, but agencies see no reason to commit to specific time period; PM’s office denies reports

Sara Netanyahu, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, is pushing officials in the National Security Council and the Shin Bet domestic security agency to extend the security detail for her and her two sons for the next five years, Hebrew media reported Monday.

Channel 12 and the Ynet news site said Netanyahu wants the decision to go into effect immediately, regardless of the results of the upcoming elections.

The prime minister’s coalition is currently projected by polls to fall below the necessary 61 seats to form a government, though it also remains unclear whether the opposition has a path toward forming one.

The NSC and the Shin Bet both refrained from offering their professional position on the matter for weeks, according to the outlets. Though they recognize the seriousness of potential threats, according to two sources, officials see no reason to decide now on security arrangements for the next five years.

Channel 12 reported that the Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet Affairs had been set to meet Tuesday to discuss the request, though that meeting was delayed.

It said the domestic intelligence agency will likely agree to extend protection for the time being, without committing to a specific time frame.

Ynet said the prime minister’s team was exerting heavy pressure on the agencies to approve the request. It said they argue that the war with Iran and other security developments justified the extended protection.

The PMO denied the reports. The NSC and the Shin Bet refused to comment.

Unnamed sources involved in the matter told Ynet that it appears the premier’s family fears they will lose their protection if the election is lost. When the premier lost power in the 2021 elections, the new government stopped providing personal security and chauffeurs for Sara and sons Yair and Avner after six months, based on the professional recommendations of security agencies.

The sources said a new government would likely maintain protection for the family for as long as security officials deem it justified.

The prime minister himself is guaranteed protection for the next 20 years.

In 2024, the Walla news site  reported that Netanyahu had attempted to ensure Shin Bet security details for his family for life, but had been rebuffed by authorities. The Prime Minister’s Office denied that report too.