Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu contacted the Prime Minister's Office a few weeks ago, informing them that he and his wife were moving to a home on Gaza Street in Jerusalem, and would live there in addition to their home in Caesarea, Channel 13 News reported.
According to the report, the meaning of such a move is security which would cost hundreds of thousands of shekels every year.
The Netanyahu family responded to the report and said, "Contrary to the allegations, the Netanyahu family did not demand that the house on Gaza Street in Jerusalem be secured. The Shin Bet, and the Shin Bet only, determined that the house must be secured and it is the body which decides on the security arrangements."
The report comes hours after the Ministerial Committee for Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Affairs, led by Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana, decided that, in accordance with the opinion of the Shin Bet, the Mossad, the police and the National Security Council, the security details for the Netanyahu family members will be removed Monday, six months after the end of Netanyahu's term as Prime Minister.
Netanyahu himself is entitled to state-sponsored security detail for 20 years after the end of his term as Prime Minister.
Sources close to Netanyahu were outraged by Sunday’s decision, saying, "This is a politically motivated, scandalous and irresponsible decision that was sewn up in advance, permitting the blood of former Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's wife and his sons. Contrary to reports, the committee completely ignored the professional opinion of the security unit of the Prime Minister's Office, 'Magen', which is responsible for the safety of the former Prime Minister's wife and sons, and which demanded that their security detail continue."
The Security and Emergency Department of the Prime Minister's Office, which is in charge of the Magen unit, said, "The Department does not provide details on professional positions presented to ministerial committees. However, we will clarify that the statements attributed to the 'Magen' unit are incorrect. It is further clarified that the Magen unit is an executive element, and as such relies on the professional opinion of the Israel Security Agency, which recommended canceling the security of the opposition chairman's family."