Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: The beauty of the compromise plan is that it may
provide citizens protection from identity theft if they are willing to have
their biometric information in a data base ]

PM Netanyahu Approves Cab.-Secy. Hauser's Recommendations Regarding the
Biometric Law
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Tuesday), 17.11.09, approved the
main points of Cabinet Secretary Tzvi Hauser's recommendations regarding the
desired arrangement to settle the controversy that has broken out over the
draft law on including biometric means of identification and biometric data
in identity documents. The Prime Minister directed that the legislative
process continue, with the introduction of the necessary changes.

The recommendations were formulated in consultation with Interior Minister
Eli Yishai, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon, Minister Michael Eitan,
Social Welfare and Social Services Minister Yitzhak Herzog, MK Zeev Elkin,
and Knesset Law, Constitution and Justice Committee Chairman David Rotem.
The recommendations differentiate between the issuing of smart identity
cards and passports and the issue of establishing a biometric data base.

The main points of the recommendations are:

A national biometric data base will not be established in the next 24 months
("examination period").

During the examination period, a voluntary biometric data base will be
established that will include biometric means and data for any resident who
so agrees. During this period, the urgency of establishing a biometric data
base - as well as its goals, the information stored therein and the use
thereof - will be considered.

Residents will be included in the voluntary data base only after they have
agreed to their data being entered into it. If they refuse - none of their
various legal rights shall be impaired.

After the conclusion of the examination period, the Interior Minister will
be authorized to decide upon the establishment of a national biometric data
base upon consultation with the Justice Minister, the approval of the
Ministerial Committee on Biometric Applications, the approval of the Knesset
joint Law, Science and Interior committees, and the approval of the Knesset
plenum.

The Interior Minister's aforesaid decision may be conditional and may
require legislative changes.

The Interior Minister's authority to issue biometric identity cards and
passports shall not be impaired.