Israel Police Will Stay on Streets for Days After Knesset Vote Results
The force will monitor the period after exit polls are released, with a specific focus on the days following the vote rather than just polling day.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
Israel Police plan to deploy 22,000 officers for the upcoming Knesset elections, an increase from the roughly 17,000 personnel assigned to the previous cycle. A senior police official stated that the primary security focus will shift to the hours and days following the release of exit poll results at 10:00 p.m.
The official noted that voting day is expected to pass with relative calm. However, tensions may persist into the weekend as citizens react to the results. Police are preparing for potential friction and confrontations that could extend through the night and into the following days. The operational strategy involves maintaining large forces active nationwide even after polling stations close.
Security arrangements also include the protection of five major political gatherings. Four of these events will take place in Tel Aviv, while the Likud party event is scheduled at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. The official emphasized that each party event requires a substantial police presence to manage crowds and ensure order.
A comprehensive briefing was provided to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The session covered intelligence assessments, the threat of hostile terrorist activity, and operational readiness. The official added that the prime minister and his ministry director-general were impressed by the staff work completed over the past three months in coordination with the Shin Bet and the IDF.
The senior official stressed the necessity of police independence during the election. He stated that it is impossible to conduct elections in Israel without an apolitical police force. Even while operating under the National Security Ministry, the police must remain free of political influence in both their conduct and public perception.
Concerns about post-election unrest have been present since August, when Maariv military correspondent Avi Ashkenazi reported on a defense establishment plan called Operation Capitol. This scenario envisions a political bloc claiming the results were forged and acting to undermine public order. The plan was modeled after the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol.
Retired Maj.-Gen. Sigal Bar-Tzvi, a former head of the Police Operations Directorate, drafted the order for Operation Capitol. It addresses claims of widespread fraud, attempts to disrupt the vote count, and scenarios involving tens of thousands attempting to storm the Knesset. A senior retired police officer advised that Commissioner Danny Levy should prioritize election night over deployment on voting day, citing the risk of bloc leaders mobilizing supporters into the streets.
Several former police and Shin Bet officials argue that this specific scenario should be the top priority. They recommend formal orders on force allocation, exercises at National Headquarters, and war games for commanders. One former security official warned that it would be a massive failure if this scenario is not placed at the top of the priority list. Maariv learned that Commissioner Levy has held periodic conversations with former senior officials who raised these concerns.
A retired police major general stated that while the Shin Bet and police are responsible for an orderly transfer of power, it is currently difficult to rely solely on the Shin Bet. He pointed to weekly polls that diverge from other surveys, which he said could foster a narrative of stolen elections. He also warned about widespread civilian firearms and armed groups, describing the situation as a dangerous platform for civil war and a test of leadership.
