The Knesset signed into law the electronic monitoring bracelet law on Sunday that was put forth by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after the coalition had previously shot down a different version of the bill submitted by the opposition in March.
“The balanced bill approved today in the Knesset is especially important as it balances the vital need to fight and prevent domestic violence and our duty… to preserve the freedom of the innocent,” said Ben-Gvir, who proposed the law in collaboration with Justice Minister Yariv Levin.
“Unlike the previous government, which didn’t implement the law, our government will do so – but it will be a better and more precise law.”
The purpose of the law is to allow the court in some cases to impose technological supervision methods on abusers via an electronic monitoring solution, which will allow for the person under surveillance to be continuously monitored in real-time.
While addressing the plenum, MK Merav Ben-Ari, one of the proponents of the original bill, burst into tears at the podium. She recounted what Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told her when the bill was put forward back in March.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is seen at a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, in Jerusalem, on July 19, 2023. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)“He said, ‘There are false complaints from women, so you won’t get this into law,'” she said. “He looked me in the eyes and said ‘It won’t happen.'”
What does the bill say about electronic monitoring bracelets?
The bill contains conditions that need to be met for placing someone under surveillance via an electronic monitoring bracelet.
This includes the court being convinced that this is necessary to protect a family member due to a real fear of violating a restraining order or the defendant has had a prior conviction of violence or violating a previous restraining order.
However, the court will also be allowed to order a defendant to be placed under electronic monitoring if iti s convinced of their “dangerousness.” If even that isn’t met, the court can still order them to wear electronic monitoring devices for 10 days with the possibility of extending it to six days.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
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