The Knesset plenum approved in its second and third readings the bill to amend the Police Ordinance, which regulates in a precedent-setting way the use of water cannons to disperse public disturbances.
The bill, advanced by MKs Moshe Gafni, Yaakov Asher and Yitzchak Pindrus, passed the preparatory stage in the National Security Committee chaired by MK Tzvika Fogel, who formulated the final wording with professional bodies.
Under the new law, the police will be required to use only clean water without the addition of malodorous substances such as the Skunk chemical compound or other chemicals such as dye. In addition, any use of a water cannon will be required to be documented in high quality audio and video recordings.
A citizen who claims to have been harmed by the deployment of the device will be entitled to receive the footage from the police, unless a court determines that this would harm state security or an investigation.
The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, welcomed the law's approval and said, "For years we saw how Skunk became a standard weapon against specific populations. Haredim and settlers suffered humiliation and enormous damage simply because the finger on the trigger was too light against them. My policy is zero tolerance for disturbances, but also zero tolerance for discrimination, and equal enforcement for all."
The chair of the National Security Committee, MK Tzvika Fogel, emphasized the importance of transparency, "The police need clear and effective tools to maintain public order, alongside an obligation of transparency and accountability towards citizens. The law we approved creates a clear regulatory framework for the operation of the water cannon, ensures proportionate use of this means and strengthens public trust in the enforcement system."
The leader of Degel HaTorah, MK Moshe Gafni, likewise applauded the move. "This is an exceptional law, one of the cases where we see police conduct using substances that should not be used. The dignity of protesters must also be preserved. There are protesters below my house frequently with whom I do not agree at all, but there are things the police are not allowed to do and this law is meant to bring order."