MKs Yaakov Peri and Ofir Shelah of the Yesh Atid party are behind the Secret Service bill, which if passed into law would place the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and Mossad under the direction of a ministry and they would no longer answer exclusively to the Prime Minister. Such a move they explain is in line with other Western nations, explaining this frees up the Prime Minister to address his many other duties. Peri is a former director of the ISA.

Shelah explains he has researched many other countries and feels today, placing government oversight on these agencies is an essential move. Shelah explains that while the new secret services would still operate under the PM’s authority, they would have to answer to a minister who would also be a member of the Security Cabinet.

The minister and that ministry would address budgetary matters, senior appointments and implement major organizational change. The bill also calls to amend the 2002 Shin Bet Law as well as creating legal codification for the Mossad within a year of the bill being passed into law.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)