Translation Notice — This is an English translation of a Hebrew law and may contain inaccuracies. In any dispute or legal matter, the original Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) is the sole authoritative and legally binding version.
Penal Law, 5737-1977
חוק העונשין
Section B: Termination of Pregnancy
Definitions
In this Division –
"recognized medical institution" – an institution or clinic recognized by the Minister of Health as a medical institution for the purposes of this Division, and notice thereof has been published in the Official Gazette;
"gynecologist" – a licensed physician who holds a specialist title in obstetrics and gynecology granted to him pursuant to the Medical Practitioners Ordinance [New Version], 5737–1976 (hereinafter in this Division – the Ordinance), or a licensed physician specializing, for the purpose of obtaining that title, at a recognized medical institution under the supervision of a physician holding the said title.
Prohibition of Termination of Pregnancy
Any person who knowingly terminates a woman's pregnancy, whether by medical treatment or by any other means, is liable – to five years' imprisonment or a fine of fifty thousand liras.
Termination of Pregnancy with Approval
A gynecologist shall not bear criminal liability for terminating a woman's pregnancy if all of the following conditions are met:
Committee
Approval for the purposes of Section 314 shall be granted by a committee of three members; the members shall be appointed, in a recognized medical institution that is a registered hospital as referred to in Section 25 of the Public Health Ordinance, 1940 – by the director of the institution, and in any other recognized medical institution – by the Minister of Health or by a person authorized by him for that purpose; and the composition of the committee shall be as follows:
At least one member of the committee shall be a woman.
Approval
Termination of Pregnancy in Special Cases
A licensed physician shall not bear criminal liability for terminating a woman's pregnancy if one of the following conditions is met, provided that a written reasoned notice thereof has been given to the Director General of the Ministry of Health within five days after the act:
Conscientious Objection or Medical Discretion
Nothing in the granting of approval pursuant to this Division shall oblige a gynecologist to terminate a woman's pregnancy if doing so is contrary to his conscience or his medical judgment.
Non-Application
Section 22 shall not apply to an offense under this Division.
Limitation of Liability
A woman upon whom an offense was committed contrary to this Division shall not bear criminal liability in connection with that offense.
Implementation and Regulations
The Minister of Health is responsible for the implementation of this Division and may – in consultation with the Minister of Justice and with the Health Committee of the Knesset – make Regulations for its implementation, including in the following matters:
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Contact Us →Section C: Responsibility for a Person's Welfare
Responsibility for Helpless Persons
[Amendment: 1983|other=[a/228]]
A person who bears responsibility for another person who, by reason of that person's age, illness, mental impairment, detention, or any other cause, is unable to release himself from that responsibility and is unable to provide for his own needs of life — whether the responsibility originates in a Contract or in law, or whether it arose by reason of a lawful or unlawful act of the person responsible — is obliged to provide that person with the necessities of life and to attend to that person's health; and such person shall be deemed to have caused any consequences that befell the life or health of that person by reason of having failed to fulfill the said obligation.
Duty of Parent or Guardian toward a Minor
[Amendment: 1983, 1990, 2000-5, 2001-3|other=[a/229]]
A parent, or a person who bears responsibility for a minor residing in that person's household, is obliged to provide the minor with the necessities of life, to attend to the minor's health, and to prevent abuse of the minor, bodily injury, or any other harm to the minor's welfare and health; and such person shall be deemed to have caused any consequences that befell the life or health of the minor by reason of having failed to fulfill the said obligation.
[Amendment: 1977-2, 1980-7|other=[a/230]]
[(Repealed).]
Duty of a Person in Charge of a Dangerous Act
A person who voluntarily undertakes and performs, other than under compulsion, a medical or surgical treatment or any other lawful act that involves or may involve a danger to human life or health — is obliged to possess reasonable skill for that purpose and to act with reasonable care; and such person shall be deemed to have caused any consequences that befell the life or health of a person by reason of having failed to fulfill the said obligation.
Duty of a Person in Charge of a Dangerous Thing
[Amendment: [1965]|other=[a/232]]
A person in whose responsibility or control there is a thing — whether living or inanimate, whether movable or stationary — of a kind or in conditions liable to endanger human life, safety, or health if reasonable care and diligence are not exercised in its use or handling — is obliged to take a reasonable degree of care and diligence to prevent the danger; and such person shall be deemed to have caused any consequences that befell human life or health by reason of having failed to fulfill the said obligation.
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Contact Us →Section D: Endangerment of Life and Health
Removal of Capacity to Resist for the Purpose of Committing an Offence
[Amendment: [1966], 1980-7|after=[a/233]]
One who deprives or attempts to deprive a person of his capacity to resist, by means that endanger human life or health, or that are capable of impairing his sobriety, with intent to commit a felony or misdemeanor, or to facilitate its commission, or to facilitate the escape of an offender after its commission or after an attempt to commit it, is liable to twenty years' imprisonment.
[Amendment: 1980-7|after=[a/234]]
[(Repealed).]
Wounding with Aggravated Intent
[Amendment: [1966], 2000-4, 2002-5, 2016|after=[a/235]]
Attempt to Wound with Explosive Substance
One who unlawfully places an explosive substance in any place whatsoever with intent to cause bodily harm to another is liable to fourteen years' imprisonment.
Preventing Rescue from a Vessel in Distress
[Amendment: [1966]|after=[a/236]]
One who unlawfully prevents or obstructs a person in his efforts to save his own life or the life of another while aboard a vessel in distress or a wrecked vessel, or while escaping from such a vessel, is liable to ten years' imprisonment.
Wilful Endangerment of Lives on a Transport Route
[Amendment: [1966], 1980-7, 2015-2|after=[a/237]]
One who does any of the following with intent to injure a passenger on a transport route or transport vehicle, or to endanger his safety, is liable to twenty years' imprisonment:
Throwing or Shooting a Stone or Other Object at a Moving Vehicle
[Amendment: 2015-2, 2016]
Grievous Bodily Harm
One who unlawfully inflicts grievous bodily harm upon another is liable to seven years' imprisonment.
Wounding
One who unlawfully wounds another is liable to three years' imprisonment.
Bodily Harm and Wounding in Aggravating Circumstances
[Amendment: [1973], 1996-4, 2002|after=[a/251a]]
For the purposes of this section, "family member" — including a person who was formerly a family member, being one of the following:
Use of Dangerous Poison
One who unlawfully causes a poison or other noxious substance to be administered to or taken by a person, with intent to injure or annoy that person or another, is liable to three years' imprisonment; if by so doing he endangered the life of that person or caused him grievous bodily harm, he is liable to fourteen years' imprisonment.
Breach of Duty by Parent or Guardian
[Amendment: 1983, 1990, 2001-3|after=[a/242]]
One who, without lawful justification, breaches his duty to provide a person with the necessities of life, or to attend to that person's health and to prevent abuse, bodily harm or other injury to his welfare and health, and thereby endangers or is likely to endanger that person's life, or causes or is likely to cause permanent injury to that person's health, is liable to three years' imprisonment.
Acts of Recklessness and Negligence
[Amendment: 1980-7, 2006-2, 2018-5|after=[a/243]]
Neglect of Custody of Firearms and Dangerous Substances
[Amendment: [1965]|after=[a/243a]]
Danger to Children
[Amendment: [1965]|after=[a/243b]]
One who leaves or abandons an object in a place to which children have access, and there is reasonable ground to believe that children will play with or otherwise handle the object, and that in so doing they are likely to injure their health or endanger their lives, and who does not take reasonable precautions to prevent such consequences, is liable to one year's imprisonment.
Discharge of a Firearm
[Amendment: 1980-6, 2018-5]
Negligent Bodily Harm
[Amendment: [1966]|after=[a/244]]
One who does an unlawful act, or omits to do an act which it is his duty to do, where such act or omission is not among those specified in Sections 338 to 340, and bodily harm to a person is caused thereby, is liable to one year's imprisonment.
Misleading Transport
[Amendment: 1980-7|after=[a/245]]
One who raises a light, displays a signal or deploys a buoy with intent to mislead a person operating a transport vehicle, or knowing that they are likely to mislead such a person, is liable to seven years' imprisonment.
Conveyance in a Dangerous Transport Vehicle
[Amendment: 1980-7|after=[a/246]]
One who knowingly or negligently conveys or causes a person to be conveyed in a transport vehicle when there is concern for the safety of the passenger due to the condition or cargo of the vehicle is liable to three years' imprisonment, and if the transport vehicle was an aircraft, he is liable to five years' imprisonment.
Endangerment of Roads and Waterways
One who does an act or fails to take reasonable precautions in respect of property in his possession or under his supervision, and thereby causes danger, obstruction or damage to a person on a public road or public waterway, is liable to three years' imprisonment.
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Contact Us →Section E: Sexual Offenses
Rape
[Amendment: 1978-4, 1988-2, 1990-6, 2000-4, 2001-6, 2025-4]
shall be guilty of rape and the penalty therefor is imprisonment for sixteen years.
Prohibited Penetration
[Amendment: 1978-4, 1988-2, 1990-6, 2004, 2012-3, 2025-4]
[Amendment: 1978-4, 1988-2, 1990-6, 2000-5, 2004, 2012-3, 2025-4]
[(Repealed).]
Sexual Relations Between a Mental Health Therapist and a Patient
[Amendment: 2004, 2012-3, 2025-4]
"mental health treatment" means diagnosis, assessment, counseling, therapy, rehabilitation, or the conducting of conversations, carried out on a continuous basis, in the form of face-to-face meetings, in order to assist a person suffering from distress, a disorder, an illness or another problem of emotional or psychological origin;
"mental health therapist" means a person who engages in, or who presents themselves as engaging in, the provision of mental health treatment, as a profession or by virtue of a role.
Sexual Relations Between a Clergy Member and a Person Who Received Counseling or Guidance from Them
[Amendment: 2016-3, 2025-4]
"clergy member" means a member of the clergy, a person who presents themselves as such, or a person known or presenting themselves as possessing special spiritual powers;
"counseling or guidance" means counseling or guidance provided on a continuous basis, in the form of face-to-face meetings.
Indecent Act
[Amendment: 1988-2, 1990-6, 2000-5, 2001-6, 2004, 2012-3, 2016-3]
Indecent Act in Public
[Amendment: 1988-2, 1990-6]
Causing the Act
[Amendment: 1978-4, 1988-2, 2004]
For the purposes of an offense under this Division, it is immaterial whether the perpetrator performed the act themselves or caused the act to be performed on themselves or on another person.
Sexual Offenses within the Family and by a Person Responsible for a Helpless Person
[Amendment: 1988-2, 1988-4, 1990-6, 2003, 2005-4, 2007-4, 2016-2, 2025-4]
"foster parent" means any of the following:
"step-sibling" means a son or daughter of the spouse of a parent;
"person responsible for a helpless person" has the same meaning as "person responsible for a minor or helpless person" in Section 368a;
"family member" –
"helpless person" has the same meaning as in Section 368a.
Publication Prohibition
[Amendment: 1988-2, 2006-3, 2011-4, 2019-2]
Defense to Criminal Liability
[Amendment: 1988-2, 2000-5, 2025-4]
In a charge for an offense under Section 346(a), it shall be a defense for the accused that the difference in ages between the accused and the minor does not exceed three years, if the minor consented to the act and if the act was performed in the course of an ordinary friendly relationship and without exploitation of the accused's position.
Limitation on Prescription of Sexual Offenses Against a Minor
[Amendment: 1988-2, 1996-2, 2000-5, 2001-6, 2003-3, 2005-3, 2017-3, 2019-5, 2025-4]
Minimum Sentence
[Amendment: 1988-2, 1998, 2001-6, 2002-5]
[Amendment: 1988-2]
[(Deleted).]
[Amendment: 1988-2]
[(Deleted).]
[Amendment: 1988-2]
[(Deleted).]
[Amendment: 1988-2]
[(Deleted).]
[Amendment: 1988-2]
[(Deleted).]
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