Israel: Knesset panel strikes down govt decision to extend Shin Bet coronavirus surveillance
Foreign Affairs and Defense panel head says controversial program's contribution 'negligible' at this point
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset (Israel Parliament) rejected on Monday a government decision to extend the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) surveillance program for coronavirus detection.
The cabinet sought to extend the contentious program for two weeks, with the panel split against the move four-to-three.
The rejection leaves the government with just hours before its power to use the Shin Bet as part of the COVID-19 response expires.
The highly controversial program sees the Shin Bet use cellphone tracking data and other means to establish whom COVID-19 patients had been in contact with.
Committee chair MK Zvi Hauser described the program's contribution to tackling the pandemic as "negligible" at this point, as it is only used for less than 15 percent of the infections.
Earlier in March, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the Shin Bet surveillance must only be used in limited cases, such as when the patient refuses to cooperate with the contact tracers or is unable to provide the needed information.
The controversial program, implemented last year with a nod from the Knesset, was criticized by rights groups and hailed by officials.
The program also had several mishaps, such as when over 10,000 Israelis were sent to quarantine due to a mistake in mid-2020.