In first, High Court to broadcast hearing on Shin Bet coronavirus phone snooping

A High Court of Justice hearing on a petition against digital tracking methods employed by the Shin Bet and used by authorities to trace the whereabouts of coronavirus carriers and others will be the first session to be broadcast live from the courtroom when it is transmitted today as part of a pilot project.

The hearing will take place at 11:30 a.m. and will be transmitted by the Government Press Office on the court’s website.

Much like in the US, the Israeli Supreme Court and High Court have never allowed live broadcasts of their hearings. But Supreme Court President Esther Hayut announced on Monday that the court session would be the first to be broadcast live as part of a year-long pilot.

Although the court had been planning to begin the project before the coronavirus outbreak, the pilot was moved up at the request of some Hebrew media outlets that noted that due to the coronavirus lockdown orders their reporters would not be able to attend the court hearings as usual.