Interpretation Ordinance [New Version]

(Repealed as of 1 October 1981 by the Interpretation Law, 5741-1981. The following definitions were in force under this Ordinance:)

In this Ordinance, and in every enactment currently in force, and in every enactment to be made hereafter, every word and expression in this Section shall be interpreted as stated beside it below:

"Person" — includes a Company or association or body of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated;

"Vessel" or "Ship" — any craft used in navigation and not propelled solely by oars or paddle-oars;

"Agent or representative of the Attorney General" — the State Attorney, his deputy or deputies, District Attorneys or their deputies, sub-district attorneys, and any person authorized by the Attorney General to be his agent or representative;

"Repeal", of a law — includes the repeal of a part thereof, and includes a provision by virtue of which the law or a part thereof ceased to be in force;

"House" — includes any house, part of a house, and any other building or structure, in which a person dwells or occupies, whether by day or by night, or which is intended for dwelling;

"Court" — any court competent to adjudicate in Israel;

"Civil Court of Appeal" — the Supreme Court when sitting as a Civil Court of Appeal;

"Criminal Court of Appeal" — the Supreme Court when sitting as a Criminal Court of Appeal;

"In writing" — includes print, lithography, typewriting, photography, and any other mode of representing or reproducing words or figures in a visible form;

"Law" — includes: (1) An enactment; (2) An Act of the British Parliament or a part thereof, and an Order-in-Council or a part thereof; (3) Orders, Regulations, rules, by-laws, proclamations, instructions, notices, and any other document made under a law; (4) Ottoman laws, religious laws whether written or oral, the laws of common law and the principles of equity of England;

"Affidavit" — includes a document containing an affirmation or declaration made by a person permitted by law to make an affirmation or declaration in lieu of an oath;

"Law" (חוק) — a legislative act of the Knesset and includes any Ordinance;

"Contravention" — an offence punishable by Imprisonment of up to one week;

"Enactment" — any law and any Regulations, whether made before or after the commencement of this Ordinance;

"Import" — bringing or causing to be brought into Israel, by sea, land, or air;

"Export" — taking or causing to be taken out of Israel, by sea, land, or air;

"Israel" or "the State" — includes its territorial waters;

"Aircraft" — any flying machine, glider, airship, or balloon, whether captive or free;

"Watercraft" — a vessel, ship, boat, raft, and any other craft capable of navigation;

"Government Secretary" — the official appointed by the Government to be Government Secretary;

"Public Notice" — a notice by the Government published in the Official Gazette;

"District" — one of the administrative districts into which the territory of the State is divided;

"Movable Property" or "Goods" — any property of any kind, other than Real Property;

"Territorial Waters" — any part of the open sea lying within a distance of three nautical miles from the low-water mark on the shore;

"Mandate" — the Mandate for Palestine confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations on 24 July 1922;

"Real Property" — land of any tenure and any form of holding, and any building, tree, or other thing attached to the land, and any part of the sea, shore, or river, and any right, benefit, or easement in or over land or water;

"Prescribed" — prescribed in the law in which this word appears or in the Regulations made thereunder;

"Offence" — an act, attempt, or omission punishable by law;

"Public officer" or "public office" — includes any officer or office upon whom or which functions of an official character have been imposed;

"Misdemeanour" — an offence more serious than a Contravention and less serious than a felony;

"Punishment", in relation to an offence — a Fine, Imprisonment, or any other penalty;

"Chapter" — a Chapter of the enactment in which this word appears; the same applies to "Part", "Division", "Section", and "Schedule"; "subsection" — a subsection of the Section in which this word appears;

"Ordinance" — any Ordinance made by the Provisional State Council and any Ordinance lawfully made in Palestine before the establishment of the State, including this Ordinance;

"Felony" — an offence punishable, even without proof of a previous conviction, by death or Imprisonment exceeding three years;

"Will" — includes a codicil to a Will;

"Consul" or "Consular representative" — Consul General, Consul, Vice-Consul, and any person authorized to perform their functions, as well as a consular agent;

"Master" — the person in command of a ship or vessel at the relevant time, excluding a navigator and a harbour pilot;

"Registered Medical Practitioner" — a person registered in Israel as a physician;

"Street" or "Road" — includes a highway, avenue, lane, footpath, square, courtyard, promenade, alley, passage, and any open place which the public uses or is accustomed to pass through;

"Local authority" — a municipality, local council, or similar authority established by law;

"Oath" — includes an affirmation and a declaration made by a person permitted by law to make an affirmation or declaration in lieu of an oath;

"Police officer" — any member of the Police Force; "senior police officer" — any police officer of the rank of assistant district commander and above;

"Judge", in relation to judges of the Supreme Court — includes the President of the Supreme Court;

"Magistrate" — a person holding a commission of appointment to be a Magistrate;

"Year" and "Month" — according to the Gregorian calendar;

"Financial year" — the twelve months ending on the thirty-first day of March of each year;

"Commencement", in relation to an enactment — the time of its coming into force;

"Occupation", in relation to Real Property — includes use, dwelling, possession, or enjoyment;

"Regulation" — a Regulation, rule, by-law, proclamation, declaration, Order, instruction, notice, or other document made by any authority under a law;

"Rules of court" — rules governing the practice and procedure of a court, prescribed by the authority competent to make Regulations or give Orders.

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(Repealed) — except subsections (2) and (4) which remain in force: regulations may prescribe penalties up to six months imprisonment; regulations may not contradict statutory law.

Regulations having legislative effect shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force on the date of their publication, unless otherwise provided.

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Where an enactment does not come into force upon its making, and it confers power to make Regulations, to make an appointment, or to do any other thing for the purposes of the enactment, such power may be exercised — unless a contrary intention appears — at any time after the making of the enactment, to the extent that it appears necessary or expedient in order to bring the enactment into operation on the day of its commencement; provided, however, that any Regulation, appointment, or thing so made or done shall have no effect until the day the enactment comes into force, unless a contrary intention appears from the enactment, or unless the Regulation, appointment, or thing is required to give effect to the enactment.

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No legislative provision shall derogate from any right of the State, or impose any obligation upon it, unless expressly so stated.

[Rights of the

State Reserved]

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