Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bodyguards, members of the Shin Bet VIP protection unit, were seen on Thursday wearing masks in public in order to maintain anonymity and prevent arrests abroad.
Israel’s 77th Independence Day was different from previous years, not only because of extreme weather conditions, but also due to growing precautions to protect IDF soldiers from legal risks overseas.
At various official events, it was decided not to film close-ups of soldiers in order to protect their identities.
On Thursday, it was revealed that certain Shin Bet agents received similar instructions as well.
In photos from the President’s Medal of Excellence ceremony, Netanyahu’s bodyguards were seen wearing face masks, an unusual decision by the VIP protection unit, taken to preserve their anonymity and avoid potential arrests abroad.
Soldiers at Herzog's ceremony had their identities concealed
Back in late March, reports revealed the decision to limit the exposure of soldiers at President Isaac Herzog's ceremony due to the wave of arrest warrants filed by pro-Palestinian organizations.
Herzog opened the annual ceremony on Thursday morning in honor of Israel’s 77th Independence Day, during which 120 soldiers received their distinctions.
The soldiers were anonymized due to safety concerns.