Israel Police prepared to ‘safeguard Israeli democracy’ commissioner says ahead of election day

Israel Police vowed Sunday to protect the integrity of Tuesday's elections after meeting with Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Elections Committee, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in a controversial meeting.

“The Israel Police is prepared and ready to stand guard over Israeli democracy,” Israel Police Chief Daniel Levy said in a statement. “Anyone who tries to undermine the integrity of the elections will face a strong, determined, professional, and uncompromising police force.”

According to Hebrew media, over 22,000 police and security officers will be deployed on election day to provide security and maintain election integrity.

The meeting with Sohlberg covered police steps to maintain election integrity, including security and public order near voting centers.

According to a police statement, that preparation also involved coordinating with Shin Bet on potential terror threats and maintaining public order as election results are announced.

“I am addressing all Israeli citizens with a clear message: Exercising your democratic right to vote is our mission,” Levy said. “On election day, the Israel Police will be deployed at polling stations, on roads, and in the streets to safeguard Israeli democracy and protect public safety and security. For months, we have prepared for this national mission, and we will deploy our full strength to ensure free, safe, and proper elections.”

המפכ״ל רנ״צ דני לוי לקראת הבחירות: ״משטרת ישראל ערוכה ומוכנה לעמוד על משמר הדמוקרטיה הישראלית. מי שינסה לפגוע בטוהר הבחירות ימצא מולו משטרה חזקה, נחושה, ממלכתית ובלתי מתפשרת״ משטרת ישראל השלימה היערכות ממושכת ומקיפה להבטחת טוהר הבחירות וקיומו של הליך דמוקרטי חופשי ותקין. ההיערכות כוללת גם מתן מענה לאיומי פח״ע בשיתוף פעולה עם שירות הביטחון הכללי, לצד היערכות לשמירה על הסדר הציבורי עם היוודע תוצאות הבחירות ובימים שלאחריהן. ״אני פונה לכל אזרחי ישראל במסר ברור: מימוש זכותכם הדמוקרטית להצביע היא המשימה שלנו. ביום הבחירות משטרת ישראל תהיה ערוכה בקלפיות, בצירים וברחובות לשמור על הדמוקרטיה הישראלית, ולהגן על שלום הציבור וביטחונו. במשך חודשים נערכנו למשימה הלאומית הזו, ונפעיל את מלוא עוצמתנו כדי להבטיח בחירות חופשיות, בטוחות ותקינות". ״לא נאפשר לאלימות, לאיומים, להסתה או לעבריינות לפגוע ברצון הבוחר. הכרזתי בחודשים האחרונים שלא ניתן לבריונות מכל צד לפגוע בהליך הדמוקרטי וכך נעשה. שמירה על הדמוקרטיה הישראלית היא משימתנו. נמלא אותה ללא משוא פנים וללא פשרות״. ״אזרחי ישראל, הרגישו בטוחים לממש את זכותכם הדמוקרטית. אנחנו נהיה שם כדי להבטיח שזכותכם תישמר מכל משמר. אני קורא לציבור להישמע להנחיות השוטרים ולשמור על החוק והסדר״

— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) October 25, 2026

The statement came following a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and National Security Minister Ben Gvir, ostensibly to discuss concrete security threats ahead of the elections.

Members of Netanyahu’s political opposition had protested the meeting, as Justice Sohlberg, in his role as head of the Elections Committee, has legal responsibility to conduct such a meeting with the police chief.

Opposition members characterized the meeting as possible election interference by participants in the election and petitioned the attorney general and the Supreme Court to deny the meeting.

While Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued an opinion that the meeting should be prohibited, Justice Sohlberg allowed the meeting to happen after Netanyahu said it would discuss concrete security threats.

“Based on an examination conducted within the limited time available, there is no record of a meeting of this nature having taken place in the past,” Baharav-Miara wrote regarding the meeting between Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, and Levy. “It is inappropriate to hold a session concerning the administration of the elections or other matters which fall under the authority of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee.”

Levy had previously rejected Ben Gvir’s request to discuss the elections, arguing that the minister had no legal authority to summon him.

Later, Prime Minister Netanyahu summoned Levy for a meeting with himself and Ben Gvir, where they reportedly warned about the threat of left-wing activists, requesting “special attention” at several polling stations.

In particular, Netanyahu and Ben Gvir raised concerns about a group called the “Gideonim,” associated with former prime minister Ehud Barak, who have pledged to prevent attempts by right-wing groups to rig the elections.

Barak has recently suggested that Netanyahu could try to overturn the election results by violent means, if his coalition fails to achieve a majority. Right-wing coalition parties have made similar accusations against groups on the political left, noting that the Judicial Reform protests were mostly carried about by leftist groups.

In a response to the Election Committee, Netanyahu said the discussion “dealt with critical security warnings indicating that terrorist elements intended to disrupt the holding of the elections.”

Opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot called the meeting on the eve of the elections a “blatant violation of proper administrative conduct and in a manner that jeopardizes the integrity of the elections.”

Israel Police are preparing for the possibility of public disorder and even clashed between supporters of the different political blocs, particularly as election results begin to be announced after Tuesday night.

The deployment of such a large police and security force, over 22,000, is about 5,000 more than during the previous elections, when around 17,000 officers ensured safe voting and kept the public peace.

“We will not allow violence, threats, incitement, or criminality to harm the will of the voter,” Commissioner Levy said. “In recent months, I have declared that we will not permit bullying from any side to undermine the democratic process, and that is exactly what we will do. Safeguarding Israeli democracy is our task. We will fulfill it without bias and without compromise.”