Knesset okays new COVID emergency law, strengthening parliamentary oversight

The Knesset gives final approval to a new law regulating the government’s emergency authorities to combat the COVID pandemic, which will be in effect until the end of 2022.

The new law strengthens the parliamentary oversight on government actions regarding the imposition of temporary restrictions.

It cancels the government’s ability to declare a “special state of emergency” which gives it the authority to ban protests, and includes a distinction between a “state of emergency” during an outbreak and a “special health situation” between waves of infections.

During the latter, the Knesset will now have to give prior approval to new restrictions, unlike the past two years when the Knesset could retroactively green-light government measures after they have entered effect.