Ramat Gan Municipality Illegally Issues Parking Tickets Via Camera System

A reservist in the Israeli military received 29 parking tickets from the Ramat Gan municipality, totaling thousands of shekels, for parking in the same spot over a year after the alleged offenses occurred. The tickets were issued by an automated camera system, and due to the significant delay in delivery, the individual lost the legal right to appeal most of them. He was denied his request to have the tickets canceled or to stand trial.

This case highlights a broader issue where Israeli municipalities are allegedly using advanced digital enforcement, including cameras, to issue parking tickets, despite lacking explicit legal authority. The Knesset has clarified that local authorities are not empowered to use cameras for general parking offense enforcement, with the exception of public transport lanes. This authority was intended for monitoring immediate traffic obstructions, not for issuing tickets for exceeding parking time limits.

Despite court rulings and Knesset clarifications, many municipalities, including Ramat Gan, continue to operate these camera systems. They reportedly rely on a directive from the Ministry of Interior, which was originally meant for simple video surveillance to prevent immediate road hazards. Legal experts argue this constitutes a misinterpretation and an overreach of authority, turning these systems into revenue-generating tools rather than traffic safety measures.

In contrast, the mayor of Be'er Sheva has ordered a halt to the use of similar camera systems pending a thorough review, demonstrating an alternative approach to digital enforcement. Ramat Gan Municipality, however, maintains that it operates lawfully, stating that tickets are not automatically generated by LPR cameras but are issued by authorized inspectors based on their professional judgment and the circumstances of the incident.