LONDON: A controversial bill that would allow Israeli police to investigate alleged incitement to terrorism without prior approval from the Office of the State Attorney is advancing through the Knesset.
Civil rights groups and opposition members of the Knesset have voiced concerns over the proposed legislation, warning that it could lead to abuses of power and restrictions on freedom of speech.
Currently, police must seek approval from the state attorney to investigate such cases, a safeguard intended to prevent broad interpretations of the law that could suppress free expression.
In July, State Attorney Amit Aisman revealed that police had initiated several investigations into incitement or speech-related offenses without proper authorization, accusing officers of “deliberately circumventing” his office’s directives.
The bill, introduced by far-right MK Limor Son Har Melech of the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party, passed its first reading in the Knesset in July.
Melech has since added a clause tightening the law, making it illegal to praise an individual who committed a terrorist act, rather than just the act itself.
If the bill is enacted, police could launch investigations based on formal complaints “or in any other manner,” expanding their ability to probe incitement to terrorism.
A scheduled hearing on the bill in the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee was postponed to accommodate scheduling conflicts, with a new date set for later this week.
Criticism of the bill has come from across Israeli society, with many arguing it could be exploited for political purposes.
MK Gilad Kariv of the Labor Party described the legislation as a “powerful takeover” of police powers by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, an ultranationalist settler leader.
Kariv warned that the bill could lead to “endless investigations” aimed at intimidating political opponents.
Civil rights organizations have echoed these concerns. In April, the Adalah organization, which advocates for the rights of Arab Israelis and Palestinians, urged the attorney general and state attorney to block the bill, warning that it could be used to target Arab citizens for political reasons.
