The Knesset plenum on Sunday evening approved the second and third readings of the penal law proposed by MKs Yitzhak Kreuzer, Nissim Vaturi and Almog Cohen. On the third reading, nine Knesset members supported the proposal with no opposition.
It is proposed to establish the offense of collecting protection fees in two degrees of severity. One concerns the collection of protection fees while exploiting distress without threat.
MK Almog Cohen (Archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
In this situation, it is proposed to establish a presumption of awareness on the part of the offender who collects protection fees on an ongoing basis, of the victim's distress, if physical or property crimes were allegedly committed in the vicinity of the victim. The second degree of severity concerns the collection of protection fees using a threat.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement to the media at the start of the cabinet meeting: "Today is a historic day for the Ministry of National Security and for all citizens of Israel, we are passing the law called the Protection Law, a law that finally provides a solution that did not exist in Israeli law for years. There was an offense of extortion by threats, but it did not really give... pic.twitter.com/rDYy5pnlRM
— Hezeki Baruch (@HezkeiB) July 30, 2023
In addition, it is proposed to establish as a temporary order for five years a minimum sentence for the new offense, as well as forfeiture arrangements by the court in criminal proceedings and civil proceedings without conviction. On the implementation of the provisions of the proposed sections, it is proposed to establish a reporting obligation for 10 years.
Promise - and deliver
The explanatory notes stated: "The reality on the ground proves that threats to extort a person or business owner are not always made explicitly and openly, but implicitly, based on the identity of the threatener, the identity of his sender, or the "name" he received in the area. In addition, the police encounter situations in which criminal organizations posing as guard companies charge business owners money for alleged 'guard services', when in fact no service is provided."
Following the approval of the Protection Law in its second and third readings, Im Tirtzu Movement Chairman Matan Peleg said: "Congratulations to MKs Almog Cohen and Yitzhak Kreuzer for fulfilling the election promise and promoting the Protection Law. There is no doubt that collecting protection fees has turned from a state plague to a strategic threat."
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He added, "The state has an obligation to create tools for business owners to fight this violence. We will continue to stand with farmers and business owners and will closely monitor to ensure that the justice system does not take the law lightly and uses the law to give appropriate punishment."
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