Israeli Supreme Court Questions Police Use of 'Eyen Hanetz' Vehicle Tracking System

The Israeli Supreme Court has issued a conditional order in response to a petition by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel challenging the "Eyen Hanetz" law, which regulates the police's use of a surveillance system that tracks vehicle movements nationwide by reading license plates. The system, revealed in a 2020 investigative report by Walla, collects extensive data on citizens' movements without prior suspicion, creating a vast database of vehicle locations.

The court's order demands the state justify why provisions allowing the system's use for enforcing restraining orders, including numerous criminal offenses, pattern investigations, long-term data retention, warrantless searches, and real-time alerts without clear criteria should not be canceled or amended. The police introduced the system without fully informing the Knesset of its capabilities or intended uses, prompting legislation only after public exposure and criticism to retroactively authorize its operation.

The Supreme Court will continue deliberations with an expanded panel of seven justices. The petition argues that the law grants unprecedented surveillance powers over the entire public without sufficient judicial oversight or adequate privacy protections, violating constitutional principles of proportionality and severely infringing on privacy and freedom rights. Michal Tagger, attorney for the Association, stated the court's order highlights serious constitutional concerns and hopes the final ruling will establish clear limits to protect citizens from disproportionate surveillance.