News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee has approved two bills that would grant Israelis greater freedom in using force, including deadly force, to protect themselves and their property from intruders.  The legislation has been nicknamed “Shai Dromi’s Bill” by media, as it follows the case of Negev farmer Shai Dromi, who was jailed for shooting and accidentally killing a Bedouin thief on his property in January of 2007.

According to the first bill, a person would not be held criminally liable for “any act that was immediately necessary in order to repel an unlawful attack which posed real danger to his own or another person's life, freedom, bodily welfare or property.”  Private homeowners who use force against intruders would be assumed to have been in danger unless it could be proven otherwise.

The second bill, proposed by MKs Tzvi Hendel and Eliyahu Gabbai of NU/NRP and Yisrael Katz of Likud, would allow protection for business owners as well.  The second bill would protect civilians against charges stemming from the use of force against intruders unless the action was “manifestly unreasonable.”  The committee will either merge the proposed bills or choose one and then bring the final result to the Knesset.