Knesset approves bill to establish alternative intelligence department under Prime Minister’s Office

Another step towards a dramatic change in the Israeli intelligence world: The Knesset plenum approved today (Wednesday) in a preliminary reading the bill by Amit Halevi, according to which a department will be established to formulate an alternative intelligence concept ("Ipkha Mestabra") from the security system's intelligence bodies.

The law essentially proposes to regulate the establishment of a department for formulating an alternative intelligence concept, positioned under the Prime Minister's Office, including its powers, reporting methods, and oversight.

In the explanatory notes to the proposal, it is written: "This bill seeks to regulate the independent status of a new and comprehensive oversight system and to expand its powers in relation to all organizations within the intelligence community in various security bodies, so that it can fulfill its purpose and examine in depth and impartially the prevailing perceptions in the intelligence and security bodies, similar to other oversight bodies in the law."

The law, as mentioned, passed the preliminary reading with a majority of 56 Knesset members, against 36 opponents. It should be noted that this is only a preliminary reading, and it will now be transferred to the Knesset Committee to determine the committee in which the proposal will be discussed.