Israel's ministerial committee for affairs of the Shin Bet internal security service has approved lifetime security protection for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara.
According to Israeli Army Radio, the committee approved on Wednesday the decision to protect Netanyahu for the duration of his life, while protection for Sara Netanyahu is limited to her husband's lifetime, with the possibility of extension.
The committee took the decision on the recommendation of Shin Bet director David Zini, despite opposition from relevant bodies within the service. Zini nonetheless insisted on signing the recommendation, according to Israel's Channel 12.
The ministerial committee specified that the decision would also cover Netanyahu's sons Yair and Avner, although their security protection would extend for five years only, unlike that of their parents.
Israeli media reported that associates of Netanyahu and his wife had exerted intense pressure over recent days to have the decision confirmed, at a time when Israeli security services assess that Netanyahu and his family face a high-level threat from "enemies of Israel."
The decision came as the country awaits Knesset elections in October, which could remove Netanyahu from the premiership if he loses, bringing an end to the longest period of political dominance by an Israeli leader.