Corruption allegations undermine Israel's national biometric database plans

Corruption allegations undermine Israel's national biometric database plans
Campaigners have warned that plans to introduce a compulsory biometric database should not go ahead over fears of data security.
2 min read
01 December, 2016
Many Palestinians will already be well aware of a widespread fingerprint database in Israel [Photothek]

Data protection activists are campaigning against Israeli government plans to introduce a compulsory biometric database - taking the fingerprints and facial contours of every citizen.

The project, led by Aryeh Deri, the leader of the ultra-orthodox Shas party, has sparked protests over fears that personal data could be hacked by criminal gangs.

"Israeli police officers are known for their lax practices relating to information security," said Jon Klinger, a lawyer and campaigning activist.

"All the steps taken to secure the database are moot."

Deri, who was jailed in 2000 on corruption charges, assured citizens and said "all the necessary measures to protect residents' privacy​" had been taken.

Klinger has warned however of a culture of corruption without supervision in the Israeli administration.

"During 2008, 2011, and 2016, it was discovered that several [government] employees were prone to bribery, and a few charges and indictments were brought against them," Klinger said in his report.

There are also fears over the unprecedented reach of the data, which could be used for any number of reasons.

The Israeli government first decided to pursue a central database in 2013, with the aim of preventing identity fraud.

The plan was met with immediate resistance, but now more than one million citizens possess a piece of biometric identification.

"From now on, anyone obtaining a document from the Interior Ministry, whether an ID card or a passport, will receive a biometric one," said Dery at a ceremony for the millionth member of the biometric database earlier this year.

"We've decided on having this database and we'll soon decide what will be included in it."

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