Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir Briefed on 22,000-Officer Plan for Post-Exit Poll Order

Ordinary Israelis face a heavily guarded environment on election day and in the days that follow as police prepare for the 26th Knesset vote. Authorities expect voting hours to pass relatively quietly, but tension is expected to rise after exit polls release at 10:00 p.m. The primary concern is public order disruption during the night, the next day, and the weekend.

A senior police official stated that the day after voting is no less sensitive than voting day itself. Citizens may enter the streets to celebrate or protest depending on the exit poll results. Police forces will remain active nationwide after polls close to manage potential friction, confrontations, and disorder.

Security details include protecting five major party gatherings. Four of these events are located in Tel Aviv, while the Likud party will hold its event at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. The official noted that every party event setup requires a very large number of police forces to ensure safety.

The security operation involves approximately 22,000 officers, an increase from roughly 17,000 deployed during the previous election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a comprehensive briefing on the plan, attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The briefing covered intelligence assessments, the threat of hostile terrorist activity, and operational readiness.

Police have prepared for this operation for about three months in coordination with the Shin Bet and the IDF. The prime minister and his ministry director-general were impressed by the staff work presented. The senior police official emphasized the independence of the force, stating that elections are impossible without an apolitical police force. Police must remain free of political influence in both conduct and public perception while under the National Security Minister.

Concerns about post-election unrest reference a plan known as Operation Capitol, reported by Maariv military correspondent Avi Ashkenazi in August. The scenario involves a political bloc claiming forged results and acting to undermine public order, similar to the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol. The plan was drafted by a team led by retired Maj.-Gen. Sigal Bar-Tzvi, a former head of the Police Operations Directorate.

The plan covers claims of widespread fraud, attempts to disrupt the vote count, and scenarios where tens of thousands attempt to storm the Knesset. A senior retired police officer advised Police Commissioner Danny Levy to prioritize election night over voting day deployment. He described a dangerous scenario where a bloc leader rejects results and calls supporters to the streets while the opposing camp mobilizes to defend the democratic process. In such a case, police would need help from other bodies, chiefly the IDF.

Former police and Shin Bet officials argue this scenario should be the top priority, requiring formal orders on force allocation and exercises at National Headquarters. One former security official said it would be a massive failure if this scenario was not placed at the top of the list. Maariv learned that Levy held periodic conversations with former senior officials who raised these concerns. A retired police major general warned that widespread civilian firearms and armed groups create a dangerous platform for civil war, calling the situation a test of leadership.