ISRAEL is set to ban the filming and photographing of soldiers in the wake of the cold-blooded murder of 62 unarmed Palestinians by Israeli snipers in Gaza earlier this month.

A Bill targeting Israeli anti-occupation activists could see those recording Israeli soldiers jailed, banning the collection of evidence of atrocities committed by security forces.

Knesset member Robert Ilatov, who is the sponsor of the Bill, explained the legislation was proposed “in response to harassment by left-wing operatives of Israeli soldiers while dispersing violent [sic] demonstrations by Hamas [sic] on the Gaza Strip border.” 

The Bill reads: “For many years the State of Israel has witnessed a worrying phenomenon of documentation of Israeli soldiers. This is done through video, stills and audio recordings by anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian organisations such as B'Tselem, Machsom Watch Women, Breaking the Silence.”

Jail sentences of five years are proposed for “anyone who filmed, photographed, and/or recorded soldiers in the course of their duties, with the intention of undermining the spirit of IDF soldiers and residents of Israel,” with 10-year prison terms for anyone “intending to harm state security.”

Opponents of the Bill warn it would severely restrict press freedom, with the distribution of photo and video content on social networks or in the media also banned under the draconian legislation.

Journalists were among those targeted by Israeli snipers during the Great March of Return protests in Gaza last month with at least two, including Ahmad Abu Hussein, killed while covering the demonstrations.

Critics say the legislation will mean the Israeli army – which is accused of war crimes and other atrocities against Palestinians – would be given a free hand to operate with impunity and organisations that aid and assist Palestinians would be barred from carrying out their work.

The United Nations voted to investigate war crimes in Gaza earlier this month with an “independent, international committee of inquiry” due to report next March on the killings.

While the majority voted in favour of the war crimes investigation, 14 countries abstained, including Britain.

However, Israel seems unconcerned over the possible action as it agreed earlier this week to expand its illegal settlement programme, approving the building of 2,500 new Jewish-only homes in the West Bank.