The Ministerial Committee for Legislation is expected to approve MK Tzvika Foghel's (Otzma Yehudit) bill, which would allow the state to declare criminal organizations as terrorist organizations.
Newly appointed Shin Bet Director David Zini supports the move, in contrast to the organization's Legal Advisor.
MK Foghel's bill seeks to increase the enforcement powers against major criminal organizations, especially as they gain strength in municipal areas and in the Arab sector.
The bill notes that "at the Ministerial Committee for Fighting Crime in the Arab Sector, severe and disturbing statistics were presented regarding the scope of the criminal organizations' operations and their influence, especially in urban areas and the Arab sector. The situation assessment indicates that these are heavily armed elements using firearms and explosives. These elements pose a direct threat to government authorities and public officials in particular, and to the public as a whole, by integrating into local government systems and maintaining ties with foreign entities. At times, these elements even operate as an actual terrorist infrastructure. This escalation creates a strategic threat to internal security, the rule of law, and the integrity of Israeli democracy."
According to Foghel, “The purpose of the bill is to allow, in severe and exceptional cases, the designation of a criminal organization as a terrorist organization. This designation would be made by the Minister of National Security with the approval of the Minister of Defense, and subject to substantive criteria that examine the nature of the organization, the means it employs, and the threat arising from its activity. The practical implication of such a designation is the application of all provisions of the Counter-Terrorism Law, including enforcement and investigative powers."
"Through this proposal, the State of Israel will be able to respond to the evolving reality in an appropriate, proportional, and controlled manner. The law is intended to provide the security and legal systems with the necessary tools to protect public safety, strengthen governance, and eradicate violent phenomena that threaten the very foundations of the state.”