Tougher knife law will include parents in the punishment

In an effort to encourage greater responsibility by parents, a proposed law will mete out heavy fines or prison sentences as punishment for parents of minors who carry knives, it was reported Sunday.

Under the proposed legislation, parents could be held criminally liable if their children are caught armed with a knife in a public place. The courts will decide in each case if the parents of those caught with weapons did everything in their power to prevent their children from carrying a knife. Fines could run as high as NIS 21,000 or a month in prison, separate from any charges brought against the offending child.

In addition, the punishments for selling such weapons as knives, penknives, and brass knuckles to minors will be made more severe. Merchants who do not request proof of age before selling such items could face up to seven years behind bars.

The changes were proposed by Haim Katz (Likud), chairman of the Knesset Labor and Social Welfare Committee MK and enjoy wide support by MKs.

“There is no reason in the world for youths to carry knives,” Katz said. “Weapons combined with drinking to excess have produced the most violent of incidents. From now on every parent will know that it is their responsibility to check what their children are walking around outside with.”

The new bill will be brought before the Knesset in the coming days.