Israel Police Plan 22,000-Officer Deployment for Knesset Election

Israel Police have mobilized 22,000 officers to secure the elections for the 26th Knesset, with a specific focus on the hours following the release of exit polls.

A senior police official stated that voting day itself is expected to proceed relatively quietly. The official noted that tension is most likely to persist into the days immediately following the vote.

Exit poll results are scheduled for release at 10:00 p.m. The official warned that these results could prompt either celebrations or anger in the streets. He described the day after the election as no less sensitive than the voting day itself.

Police are preparing for friction, confrontations, and disorder through the night, the next day, and into the weekend. The force cannot limit its attention to polling stations during voting hours, so large units will remain active nationwide after the polls close.

The security operation will also cover five major party gatherings. Four of these events are taking place in Tel Aviv, while the Likud party will hold its event at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. The official noted that such large-scale party events require a substantial number of police personnel.

The current deployment of 22,000 officers represents an increase from the roughly 17,000 used in the previous election. Police prepared for this operation over a three-month period in coordination with the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces.

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 public order concerns. The prime minister and his ministry director-general expressed satisfaction with the staff work presented.

The senior official emphasized that the police force must remain apolitical. He stated that it is impossible to hold elections in Israel without an apolitical police force, even while operating under the National Security Ministry. This independence is required in both conduct and public perception.

Concerns about post-election unrest have grown in recent months. In August, military correspondent Avi Ashkenazi reported that the defense establishment prepared for a scenario called Operation Capitol. This plan addresses the possibility of a political bloc claiming the results were forged and acting to undermine public order.

The Operation Capitol plan was drafted by a team led by retired Major General Sigal Bar-Tzvi. It covers claims of widespread fraud, attempts to disrupt the vote count, and scenarios where tens of thousands attempt to storm the Knesset. The plan was shaped by the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol.

A senior retired police officer advised that Police Commissioner Danny Levy should focus primarily on election night rather than voting day deployment. He described a dangerous scenario where a bloc leader rejects the results and calls supporters into the streets. In such a case, he said police would need assistance from the IDF.

Several former police and Shin Bet officials argue that this 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 stated that it would be a massive failure if this scenario was not placed at the top of the list. Commissioner Levy has held periodic conversations with former senior officials who raised these concerns. A retired major general warned about widespread civilian firearms and armed groups, calling the current situation a dangerous platform for civil war and a test of leadership.