22,000 Police Ready for Israel Vote

Tension will peak after the polls close, not while voters are casting ballots. Israel Police have staged 22,000 officers to manage potential clashes in the days following the Knesset election. The force is up from roughly 17,000 in the previous cycle.

A senior police official said the voting day itself should be quiet. The real risk arrives at 10:00 p.m. when exit polls release. "I think the day after, as we call it, is no less sensitive," he stated. The police expect citizens to take to the streets in celebration or anger. Forces will remain active through the night, the next day, and into the weekend.

The deployment includes heavy security for five major party gatherings. Four events will be held in Tel Aviv. Likud will hold its event at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. "Every setup like this, and I am referring to party events, requires a very large number of police forces," the official said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir received a comprehensive briefing on the plan. The review covered intelligence assessments, terrorist threats, and public order risks. Police have spent three months preparing with the Shin Bet and the IDF. The prime minister and his ministry director-general were impressed by the staff work.

The official stressed that the police must remain apolitical. "It is completely impossible to hold elections in the State of Israel without an apolitical police force," he said. Even under the National Security Minister, the force must stay free of political influence in conduct and public perception.

Concerns about post-election chaos echo a plan drafted in August by retired Maj.-Gen. Sigal Bar-Tzvi. The scenario, called Operation Capitol, envisions a political bloc claiming the results were forged and acting to undermine order. The plan was modeled on the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol. It covers claims of widespread fraud, disruptions to the vote count, and a scenario where tens of thousands try to storm the Knesset.

A senior retired police officer said Police Commissioner Danny Levy should worry most about election night. He described a scenario where a bloc leader rejects the results and calls supporters into the streets. The opposing camp would mobilize to defend the process. In that case, police would need help from the IDF.

Several former police and Shin Bet officials argue this scenario should top the priority list. They want formal orders on force allocation, exercises at National Headquarters, and a war game for commanders. "It would be a massive failure if it turns out this scenario was not placed at the top of the list," one former security official said. Levy has held periodic conversations with former senior officials who raised these concerns.