Bennett and Yogev
Bennett and YogevFlash 90

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a proposal to amend the Penal Law, initiated by MK Moti Yogev of the Jewish Home with the support of the party's chairman, Education Minister Naftali Bennett.

In accordance with the approved proposal, an amendment to section 382a of the will be added to the Penal Law: "One who attacks an employee of the educational system during the course of his/her work... shall be sentenced to five years imprisonment."

In the explanatory notes to the text of the proposal, Yogev wrote: "It is proposed to toughen the punishment of those attacking education workers, so that it will stand at five years without the need for additional aggravating circumstances as required in attacks against other public officials."

In addition, Bennett instructed his ministry's Director-General, Shmuel Abuav, to examine the sanctions available to teachers and principals, and to ensure that in the event that a student attacks a teacher, the student can be expelled permanently from the school in which he studies.

"The teachers are our central resource; we are committed to empowering the teachers, we have improved their employment conditions, and now we are ensuring their safety," Bennett said.

MK Yogev added, "Teachers in Israel are the most important people who educate the future generation of the State. Their work is not easy and they carry it out every day with devotion.Teachers are our trustees in educating our children, whom we deposit every day in the schools.The phenomenon of attacking educational workers in the course of their work by students or parents has become, unfortunately, in recent years, a common occurrence and a real blow to the State. Just recently have there been a number of severe cases of attacks on education workers, which can not be accepted in any way.

"In order to strengthen the status of Israeli teachers, and to deter those who want to harm them, I proposed legislation to tighten the punishment of those who attack education system employees, to put them in prison for five years without the need for additional aggravating circumstances."