Slippery Slope

The Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs approved a bill proposed by Minister of Interior Gideon Sa’ar which would forbid African migrants from sending money abroad. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The Ministry of Justice has published a bill proposal, which would allow the state to instruct internet service providers to block access to various websites, without requiring a court order. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Calcalist)

The Justice and Internal Security Ministries have circulated to all government ministries a bill proposal which would allow police officers to break into homes or any other building without a warrant, in case of a reasonable suspicion that a loud noise emanates from the property.

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation refuses to disclose how its members vote on proposed bills. The committee decided that a bill sponsored by MK Orly Levi-Abukasis (Yisrael Beiteinu ) calling on the Ministerial Committee for Legislation to divulge the reasons for its decisions, will be opposed by the coalition. 

The Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce has proposed an “Employer Rights” bill.  The bill includes such measures as cancelling existing labour laws and dissolving unions, and allowing employers full discretion in selecting their employees (including using discriminatory employment policies).

(Hebrew – Text of bill)

Knesset Education Committee Chairman, MK Alex Miller (Yisrael Beitenu), has proposed a bill following recent Nakba Day commemoration ceremonies in various universities, which would hold a university responsible for the content of events held by students.  In the framework of the bill, the Minister of Education, in his role as the chairman of the Higher Education Council, could impose sanctions on institutions which support or allow an activity “which essentially constitutes a denial of the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and Democratic state, promotes racism, violence or terrorism or support of an armed conflict or terrorist attack against the state”.  (Middle East Monitor)

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

Representatives of Negev Bedouins and human rights organizations approached Minister Benny Begin (Likud), responsible for the government’s bill for Resolving Bedouin residency in the Negev, and asked for more time to submit objections to the bill. The bill was formally published in January, but it only appeared on the Prime Minister’s site in Hebrew. Most Bedouin villages in the Negev have no electricity and no internet access. Printed booklets with Arabic translation of the proposal were only distributed in mid-February.

(Hebrew)

The Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs approved a bill which would raise the minimum marriage age from 17 to 18, but stipulates that the children of religious leaders would be exempt from the bill.

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

A defendant’s right to receive intelligence information related to his case would be significantly restricted under a bill being promoted by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein. Weinstein, supported by Minister of Justice Yaakov Ne’eman, wants to make it legal to withhold almost any intelligence information related to his case from the defendant.