Yitzhak Herzog
Yitzhak HerzogMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Opposition leader MK Yitzhak Herzog on Thursday night dismissed the Cabinet’s approval of new measures that would impose harsher punishments on rock throwers as “too little, too late”.

"Once again Netanyahu is talking instead of doing," charged Herzog, who added, "The problem is not the means. The Netanyahu government is a failure when it comes to security because it uses patchwork, too little and too late, instead of passing a law on terrorism and dealing seriously with serious threats to the residents of Jerusalem."

Among the measures passed on Thursday is a change in the instructions to police regarding opening fire against terrorists, and the use of nonlethal sharpshooting guns.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu laid out the changes in a statement Thursday evening. These include: giving police instructions to open fire when there is danger to anyone's life – and not just their own; minimum sentences of four years in jail for adults who throw firebombs, rocks or other deadly objects; and enlarged fines and minimum fines against minors aged 14-18 who engage in terrorism and their parents.

In addition, minimum fines may be established for parents of minors aged 12-14 engaged in terrorism, and a security deposit payment for parents of children under 12.

Netanyahu last week declared war on firebomb and rock terror, following a rock attack in which 64-year-old Alexander Levlovitz was killed as he returned home following a the festive Rosh Hashanah meal.