The Knesset Science & Technology Committee held a discussion on “Presentation of the Government Decision on the National Policy for Safe Identification”.

During the discussion, the Biometric Identification and Biometric Applications Unit presented the decision, including how to verify the identity of a person who wishes to use government services online, with the intention of enabling the provision of digital services that have not been made possible due to the inability to identify service recipients in a safe and reliable manner and at the end of a process to reach a situation in which all the services in Israel will be online.

Committee Chairman MK Uri Maklev criticized the fact that whoever decides which services and information will be available to the public will be the government ministries themselves, noting that he is afraid of foot-dragging.

Maklev insisted that government ministries should not be allowed to prevent the introduction of the new system; citing various reasons. “There are often personal perceptions in the offices, it will take a long time for the perception to change, we are already seeing delay regarding much simpler decisions, I think that many of the things will not be accessible, I am afraid that there will be services on this route that will not be utilized at all.”

Friedman further stated that the team promoting the project should issue a work plan within 12 months to implement the new platform, including in the private sector. In addition, as part of a tender that has already been launched, an operator will choose the smart identification system. The various proposals are being examined.

The chairman of the committee summed up the discussion: “We were impressed by the matter. We also want to accompany the implementation process. Open public debate and transparency can only streamline the process. You have to find the shortest and most effective way to realize it. We will also invite the directors-general of government ministries to demand that they advance proceedings. In the interim, the existing services should be maintained to a proper extent.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)