The National Security Committee voted on Monday to approve for first reading the Bill to Amend the Police Ordinance (Regulation of Use of Water Cannon and Visual Documentation of Its Use), 2024.
At the start of the debate, Committee Chair MK Tzvika Foghel (Otzma Yehudit) said “The water cannon is used to disperse violent demonstrations with regular water, and in some cases with skunk water or dyed water. The bill aims to reduce harm to innocent people and to require the operation of cameras on water cannons. The documentation will be available to all relevant parties.”
The bill’s sponsor, former MK Eliyahu Baruchi, said “Israel is the only country that uses the term ‘skunk (water).’ There is only one supplier who knows how to produce this ]malodorant]. There is no governmental or police oversight of this. The water cannon harms innocent civilians.”
MK Naama Lazimi (Labor) said, “In recent years, harm from water cannons has become massive due to the increase in protests. I myself was hit by a water cannon. There is evidence of harm to public safety when these tools are used without clear criteria or oversight. Our goal is to restore public trust, which is a shared interest. The police are supposed to maintain public order, not disrupt it.”
A representative of the Knesset Research and Information Center said, “There are standards established by international organizations and the UN regarding weapons that are less lethal or police means of crowd dispersal. There is a tension between the role of the police and citizens’ rights, and the need to allow the public to express its views.”
Adv. Micha Frankenburg of the Israel Police’s Legal Counsel Office said, “This tool is not used against innocent demonstrators, but against those who disrupt public order during protests involving serious violence. If there are cases of misconduct, they result in civil lawsuits. Regarding recording and documentation—this will be implemented at the highest level we are capable of providing.”
Brig.-Gen. Natan Gur of the Israel Police said,” These are tools that are intended to reduce harm to people, and they prevent physical confrontations with demonstrators in order to detain them. For us, it is a game changer and is used only when necessary.”
Former MK Baruchi said, “Police officers in the field prefer the water cannon that hits from a distance, and it strikes innocent civilians. Skunk water harms the entire surrounding area. The baton is less convenient for the officer in the field because it puts him in direct contact with the citizen.”
MK Lazimi said, “This law strikes a balance between the needs of the law enforcement system and civil rights, the freedom to protest and the public’s rights.”
Committee Chair MK Foghel concluded the discussion, saying “Police officers are not criminals; they occasionally make mistakes. The key is to examine the mistakes and prevent unnecessary harm. We are not here to stop the use of the water cannon, but to refine its usage. The purpose of the bill is to create a balance between the right to protest and our duty to allow the police to maintain public order, and prevent unnecessary harm.”
At the end of the debate, the committee voted to approve the bill for first reading.
