Israel Enforces Privacy Law: Over Half a Million Shekels in Fines Issued
Israel's Privacy Protection Authority has intensified enforcement under Amendment 13, opening 178 proceedings and issuing hefty fines against major institutions, signaling a profound shift in corporate compliance.
Nearly a year and a half after the enactment of Amendment 13 to the Privacy Protection Law, Israel's Privacy Protection Authority at the Ministry of Justice is actively utilizing its new enforcement powers. The amendment, which took effect in August 2025, aims to significantly increase deterrence against entities violating the law, and its practical application is already evident in the field.
According to the authority's data, monetary sanctions have been imposed in four prominent cases so far: Meuhedet Health Services with a fine of NIS 256,000, Menora Mivtachim with a similar fine, the Beit Shemesh Municipality with a fine of NIS 64,000, and A.D. Karting Huzot with a fine of NIS 12,000. This totals over half a million shekels from just four individual cases.
Data from the Privacy Protection Authority shows that since August 2025, 178 new proceedings have been opened, including supervisory procedures, administrative inquiries, and deep audits. Of these, 158 files are currently under review, while only 20 files have been closed. Concurrently, the authority is managing approximately 244 broad supervisory files, examining entire sectors rather than specific companies.
Expanding Scope and Key Violations
The authority is currently conducting dozens of supervisory proceedings and administrative inquiries against major entities in the economy, particularly banks, insurance companies, investment houses, health funds, local authorities, and technology providers. The most frequent issues in opened proceedings involve severe information security incidents, suspected data leaks, failure to meet notification obligations under Section 11 of the law, and the use of biometric data and surveillance cameras.
Attorney Miriam Friedman, a partner in the privacy and data protection practice at Arnon, Tadmor-Levy, noted that these figures indicate a profound shift in how Israeli organizations must approach privacy protection. She explained that organizations can no longer treat privacy as mere formal compliance, as violations now carry significant financial, legal, and reputational risks requiring executive involvement.
Ongoing Managerial Responsibility
Dr. Adv. Dan Chai, a privacy protection expert, emphasized that the authority is operating on an impressive scale. The fact that roughly 178 files are open should serve as a warning light for companies across the Israeli economy. He noted that many organizations, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, have yet to complete the required adjustments, highlighting that privacy protection has become an integral part of ongoing risk management.
