Bill barring unsolicited telemarketing calls clears first hurdle
Legislation would fine firms for calling Israelis registered on ‘Don’t call me’ list; ministers say law is necessary to protect senior citizens and others from exploitation
A bill barring telemarketers from making unsolicited phone calls cleared its first legislative hurdle Monday after receiving a green light from cabinet ministers.
Having received approval from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, the bill must now clear three Knesset plenum votes before becoming law.
Under the legislation, telemarketers would be forbidden from calling Israelis registered on a “Don’t call me” database, with violators receiving a fine of NIS 66,000 per offending call, according to Channel 10 news.
Supporters of the bill said the legislation is necessary to protect senior citizens and other groups they say are taken advantage of by telemarketers.
Economy Minister Eli Cohen arrives to the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem on December 17, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
“Enough with the exploitation of seniors and weaker populations,” tweeted Economy Minister Eli Cohen, who along with Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel (Likud) and the Consumer Protection And Fair Trade Authority is one of the bill’s backers.
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The Economy Ministry is pushing for the database to be set up by the start of 2019, according to Channel 10, which reported the plan was inspired by similar databases in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.
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