Bill to Allow Shin Bet to Assist in Epidemiological Investigations Until January 2021 Passes Vote
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved the bill; called on Health Ministry to launch Magen 2.0 within one week of legislation's approval in Knesset plenum
Cybertech
| 20/07/2020
Photo: Adina Valman, Knesset Spokespersons Office
A new bill was approved on Sunday to allow the Israel Security Service (Shin Bet) to assist the Health Ministry in epidemiological investigations for the coronavirus until January 20, 2021.
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Zvi Hauser approved the bill.
Under the terms, the prime minister and the alternate prime minister will present to the government a proposal to grant the Shin Bet this authorization for a period that shall not exceed 21 days, though this authorization may be extended.
Once the security agency obtains the authorization, the Health Ministry will be permitted to transfer to the Shin Bet a request for assistance in conducting an epidemiological investigation, provided that the number of new patients on the day the request is submitted, or the day prior to that, surpasses 200.
However, within the framework of the legislation, the committee also obligated the Health Ministry to launch and distribute the HaMagen 2.0 (Shield 2.0) civilian application for tracking coronavirus patients within a week of the bill's approval in the Knesset plenum.
Additionally, the bill also determined that anyone who receives a message saying they are obligated to go into quarantine will be able to appeal to the Health Ministry, which will be required to send a detailed response within 24 hours.
This in light of the fact that some 12,000 people were mistakenly sent into isolation during the second wave of the coronavirus in Israel, as revealed by the Health Ministry earlier this month.
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved the bill; called on Health Ministry to launch Magen 2.0 within one week of legislation's approval in Knesset plenum
Photo: Adina Valman, Knesset Spokespersons Office
A new bill was approved on Sunday to allow the Israel Security Service (Shin Bet) to assist the Health Ministry in epidemiological investigations for the coronavirus until January 20, 2021.
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Zvi Hauser approved the bill.
Under the terms, the prime minister and the alternate prime minister will present to the government a proposal to grant the Shin Bet this authorization for a period that shall not exceed 21 days, though this authorization may be extended.
Once the security agency obtains the authorization, the Health Ministry will be permitted to transfer to the Shin Bet a request for assistance in conducting an epidemiological investigation, provided that the number of new patients on the day the request is submitted, or the day prior to that, surpasses 200.
However, within the framework of the legislation, the committee also obligated the Health Ministry to launch and distribute the HaMagen 2.0 (Shield 2.0) civilian application for tracking coronavirus patients within a week of the bill's approval in the Knesset plenum.
Additionally, the bill also determined that anyone who receives a message saying they are obligated to go into quarantine will be able to appeal to the Health Ministry, which will be required to send a detailed response within 24 hours.
This in light of the fact that some 12,000 people were mistakenly sent into isolation during the second wave of the coronavirus in Israel, as revealed by the Health Ministry earlier this month.
