Labor pushing bill to keep under-18s out of clubs after midnight

Hundreds of "under age" clubs exist in Israel, allowing teens to gather in an alcohol-free environment.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
MarcianoYoram 224 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
MarcianoYoram 224
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
If MK Yoram Marciano has his way, 16-year-old Avi Hoffman and his friends will no longer be able to club their way into the early morning hours at their favorite discos. Marciano is using his position as the Labor Faction whip to advance the bill, which would make it illegal for a nightclub to host anyone under the age of 18 after midnight. "It is silly. I don't understand what they want to accomplish," said Hoffman. "If the clubs don't let us come there and dance and meet our friends, we'll just do the same thing somewhere else. Or on the street." Hundreds of "under age" clubs exist in Israel, allowing teens to gather in an alcohol-free environment. Most of those clubs have no curfew and often remain open until four or five in the morning. "These clubs are a breeding ground for violence and corruption… As any parent knows, there is no reason for these teens, who are still in high school, to be at a disco that is open after midnight," said Marciano. "There needs to be limits put on these recreational places. They are clearly not interested in limiting themselves." For Hoffman and his friends, however, there are many questions about how the law will be put into effect. "What are they going to do, go one by one and check our ID cards and then kick out whoever is under 18?" asked Hoffman. "We'll just sneak into the regular clubs, where there is alcohol. And that will be worse." The bill has currently passed through a preliminary reading and will come up for a first vote this week. While the Labor Party supports it, the other parties have not yet announced how they will vote.