Knesset committee okays motion urging government to probe police use of spyware

13 June 2023, 2:28 pm

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The Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approves a motion calling on the government to form a government commission of inquiry to probe the alleged illicit use of spyware by police to collect evidence and spy on citizens.

The move, proposed by committee chair Simcha Rothman, comes a week after prosecutors for the first time withdrew evidence from a court case after it became clear that police obtained it illegally using spyware.

It also comes amid persistent accusations that police have access to a watered-down version of the notorious NSO Group’s Pegasus software, known as Saifan, which reportedly allows police access to Israelis’ phones, including the ability to covertly listen to conversations.