The Likud Movement on Wednesday, 16 Teves, called on the Justice Ministry to open an investigation against the Yesh Atid party, due to alleged suspicion of illegal use of databases.

The Likud’s request came in the wake of e-mails sent by “Yesh Atid” under the heading: “They are going to close the city on Shabbos.” This is the party’s campaign against ongoing chareidi efforts to pass the Shabbos/Makolet Bill into law.

The legal adviser of the Likud movement, attorney Avi Halevi, turned to the head of the Authority for the Protection of Privacy in the Ministry of Justice, against Yesh Atid and its chairman, MK Yair Lapid, for allegedly suspected illegal use of databases and violating the provisions of the Protection of Privacy Law of 1996.

“This week, the media reported that Yair Lapid, sent an e-mail to thousands of citizens entitled” We are going to close the city on Shabbos.”

Halevi added that according to a media report, some recipients questioned how and where Yesh Atid got hold of his personal details, were included in the database used to send MK Yair Lapid’s message. “The circumstances of the case seem to raise suspicions that MK Yair Lapid’s announcement illegally used databases and in violation of the provisions of the Protection of Privacy Law, which sought to protect the privacy of citizens of the state,” Halevi added.

Halevi adds that Yesh Atid was fined NIS tens of thousands in the past by the Justice Ministry for unauthorized use of a database to send information directly to Holocaust survivors during his election campaign for the previous 20th Knesset.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)