The security cabinet can declare an individual a terrorist following
recommendations from the UN or a foreign government, according to a bill that
passed its second and third (final) votes in the Knesset Monday
evening.
The government-sponsored amendment to the law prohibiting
funding terrorists passed with 25 MKs in favor and four opposed.
The new
law allows the cabinet to declare a person or organization as a terrorist should
the UN Security Council or a relevant office of a foreign government recommend
they do so.
When the Security Council declares a person a terrorist, UN
member countries are required to follow suit, but before Monday, Israeli law
made doing so complicated.
Previously, the law allowed the cabinet to
declare a person or organization a terrorist if there was reasonable
evidence.
However, the Security Council does not always publicize its
reasoning, preventing ministers from cooperating.
As such, Israel was
unable to be a full partner in battling international terror.
According
to the National Security Council’s legal adviser Gil Avriel, the UN gave Israel
names of 360 terrorists, but only 250 could be declared as such by the
cabinet.
“The bill is meant to increase international cooperation in
preventing terror,” a Prime Minister’s Office representative said at a Knesset
Constitution, Law and Justice Committee discussion of the
legislation.
“The bodies that examined the organizations are serious and
trustworthy. It is unreasonable that we will not trust international security
bodies.”