Israeli Plan to Jail Anyone Filming Soldiers in the West Bank Hits Legal Wall
The proposed Israeli law that would ban the filming of soldiers carrying out their duties is problematic from a constitutional standpoint which may prevent its enactment, says Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit.
Despite the attorney general’s reservations, on Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved the bill, but demanded significant changes in its wording and further discussion in the committee, in advance of the preliminary vote on it in the Knesset plenum.
The parliament is expected to vote in favor of the proposed law, sponsored by MK Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beiteinu), once it is revised substantially.
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A senior member of the coalition told Haaretz that an agreement had been reached with Ilatov whereby the proposed law will call for a ban on interfering with Israel Defense Forces soldiers in the line of duty, but there will not be a total prohibition on filming and documenting such activities.
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Yesh Din
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The final wording of the bill has yet to be agreed upon but coalition MKs say it would call for a prison sentence of up to three years for preventing a soldier from carrying out his duties.
>> Punishing the witnesses: Why ban on recording soldiers must not pass | Editorial ■ Cameras are changing the fight against the Israeli occupation. This is how
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