חוק האזנת סתר (תיקון מס' 6), התשע"ז-2017Law on Secret Listening (Amendment No. 6), 2017 · automatic translation · suggest a correction

Official summary of the law (Knesset)

The Wiretapping Law (Amendment No. 6), 2017 was passed in its second and third readings on 24 July 2017. Before this amendment, the Law authorized the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense to permit the Head of the Israel Security Agency and the Head of Military Intelligence to intercept conversations of a security establishment employee conducted on a wireless communication device or cellular phone provided to the employee by their employer, for the purpose of locating or preventing the leaking of security information that could cause severe harm to state security. Amendment No. 6 to the Law changes the existing arrangement in several ways: first, by adding communication means that may be intercepted. Before its amendment, the Law allowed wiretapping only of wireless communication devices and mobile phones, and did not allow interception of conversations conducted through newer communication means such as smartphones, emails, social networks, and others. In order to address technological developments that have occurred and are expected to occur in the future, the Law in its new wording includes more advanced communication means. It was also clarified that the authority to intercept will be granted only for conversations conducted through the device itself, and not for the purpose of conducting room-bugging interceptions of conversations taking place in the space where the device is located. It was also established that the authority to intercept will be granted only for employees exposed to sensitive security material or those who may be exposed to sensitive security material, and not for every employee in the security establishment. In addition, it was established that if an extension of the interception permit beyond a period of more than 30 days is required, approval of the Attorney General will be required. In order to minimize as much as possible the infringement on the employee's privacy, it was also established that there is an obligation to provide written notice to employees who may be subject to wiretapping, and to obtain the employee's confirmation that they are aware of this.

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