Israel Government Makes Biometric ID System Mandatory

According to Interior Minister Arye Deri, all Israeli citizens must be required to obtain a biometric identity containing digitally encoded personal information, fingerprints, facial profile and other personal information which is then stored on a central database according to a report by the Times of Israel. The main purpose of the database according to its political advocates is to quell identity theft and to combat terrorism by making sure criminals are unable to pass as Israelis and access population centers. The biometric ID system contains a chip similar to one used in banking security and is designed to be extremely difficult to forge. This plan was first put forward in 2009 with a two-year trial period put into action in 2013 and further extended.

A group of 74 academics from Israel’s universities however, have criticized the plan calling it a “security threat” and that a centralized location of information makes it even more vulnerable to hacking and data leakage. Proposals of concern were put forward to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset to cancel the plan before further steps are taken. The biometric ID cards are already available from the interior ministry offices all over Israel and over 1.2 million have already volunteered for the ID program. Security is a top concern in Israel and many feel that safety against surrounding destabilizing forces is paramount to the privacy and risk of leakage. Similar plans are also being put forth to secure Passports with a “smart chip” to monitor traffic in and out of the country much more closely.