Emergency Call Centres Law, 5776-2016

In this Law –

"responsible Minister" – the Minister responsible for an emergency body listed in the Schedule or the Minister responsible for the implementation of a law regulating the operations of such an emergency body;

"warning" – a warning by means of a voice message or a text message as defined in section 5b of the Communications Law, to the telephone number from which the harassment call was made;

"National Security Committee" – the National Security Committee of the Knesset;

"Communications Data Law" – the Criminal Procedure Law (Enforcement Powers – Communications Data), 5768-2007;

"Communications Law" – the Communications Law (Telecommunications and Broadcasts), 5742-1982;

"blocking" – prevention of access by a telephone number from which harassment calls were made to the communications network of a cellular operator;

"location data database" – a dedicated information database, of an emergency call centre, in which location data of a caller that were not viewed are stored, separately from all other information;

"Magen David Adom" – the "Magen David Adom in Israel" association established under the Magen David Adom Law, 5710-1950;

"emergency call centre" – the emergency call centre of a body listed in the Schedule;

"holder" – the owner of a telephone number who is not registered in an information database as referred to in sections 6 and 7 of the Communications Data Law;

"cellular telephone device" – mobile radio telephone terminal equipment as defined in the Communications Law;

"subscriber" – a person whose identification data are registered in an information database as referred to in sections 6 and 7 of the Communications Data Law, as the owner of the telephone number;

"telephone number" – as defined in section 5a of the Communications Law;

"cellular operator" – a licensed provider who, under the Communications Law, provides a telecommunications service delivered by means of a telecommunications network that is a mobile radio telephone system, whether the telecommunications network belongs to the service provider or to another licensed provider;

"communications services operator" – (Repealed)

"caller" – a person who contacts an emergency call centre;

"location data of a caller" – location-tracking data of the device from which a contact was made to an emergency call centre;

"licensed provider" – as defined in the Communications Law;

"call centre employee" – an employee of the emergency call centre;

"authorised officer" – a police officer of the rank of Chief Inspector and above, authorised for this purpose by the Head of the Policing Division of the Israel Police, and in his absence – his deputy, as well as a fire and rescue officer of the rank of Chief Superintendent and above, authorised for this purpose by the Fire and Rescue Commissioner;

"harassment call" – a call, including a ring without a message or a statement, to an emergency call centre, which is capable of causing harm, frightening, annoying, cursing, mocking, harassing, creating anxiety or aggravating, including a false call for assistance and an unnecessary contact to an emergency call centre that is capable of disrupting the emergency call centre in its work.

In addition to that stated in section 1b(b), a call centre employee may view location data of a caller stored in the location data database, after the contact to the emergency call centre, also upon the occurrence of one of the following:

A licensed provider may claim reimbursement of expenses for the transfer of location data of a caller to an emergency call centre under the provisions of this Chapter; the reimbursement of expenses shall be in the amount approved by the Minister of Communications, after consulting the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Internal Security, or the Minister of Health, as the case may be.

Where harassment calls have been made to an emergency call centre from a particular telephone number, the emergency call centre may block the access of the telephone number from which the calls were made to the emergency call centre, in accordance with a procedure prescribed under section 11.

Where the access of a telephone number to the emergency call centre has been blocked as referred to in section 2, and further harassment calls have been made, an authorised officer may instruct a cellular operator to block the telephone number from which the calls were made, as detailed below:

Where an authorised officer has ordered blocking as referred to in section 3(2), and at least two further harassment calls have been made from the same telephone number, the person responsible for the emergency call centres of the Israel Police or a district operations division officer of the National Fire and Rescue Authority may order the permanent blocking of the telephone number from which the calls were made.

A district operations division officer of the Israel Police may, in exceptional cases and in accordance with a procedure to be prescribed by the Head of the Operations Division of the Israel Police, instruct a cellular operator to cancel the ability of the cellular telephone device from which the harassment calls were made to receive a telecommunications service, if there is no other reasonable means under this Chapter to prevent the making of harassment calls; for this purpose, "telecommunications service" – as defined in the Communications Law.

A person who gave an instruction to cancel the ability of a cellular telephone device to receive a telecommunications service under section 6, or a permanent blocking under section 4, may instruct the cellular operator to cancel the instruction, and an authorised officer may also instruct the removal of a temporary block under section 3 before the expiry of the periods prescribed in that section.

In fulfilling an instruction under this Chapter, a cellular operator or any of its employees shall not bear criminal or civil liability for any act done in fulfilment of such an instruction, except in circumstances in which a State employee would bear liability for the act.

The responsible Minister shall report in writing to the National Security Committee on 1 March each year on all of the following:

In the Administrative Affairs Courts Law, 5760-2000, in the First Schedule, after item 53, the following shall be inserted:

"54. Harassment of emergency call centres – a decision of a body under the Law for the Prevention of Harassment of Emergency Call Centres, 5776-2016.".

Israel Police;

The National Fire and Rescue Authority.

Magen David Adom in Israel – except with respect to the provisions of Chapter III.