Shin Bet reportedly demands unauthorized access to photos of citizens at airport

The Shin Bet security agency has reportedly sought unauthorized access to photographs of individuals at Ben Gurion Airport and other border crossings for facial recognition purposes, according to a Haaretz report. This demand, reportedly made by Shin Bet chief David Zini, is intended to aid in combating violent crime in the Arab Israeli sector, following a recent government approval for the agency to address this issue. However, current Israeli law restricts access to these images solely to the Population and Immigration Authority, which must delete them after 90 days and is prohibited from sharing them with other government bodies. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara reportedly warned that such access would necessitate special legislation. The Shin Bet has denied the report, calling it “baseless.”