New bill proposes Israel collects data on all airline passengers

Israel is drafting a bill that if approved would allow the government to collect data from airlines about travelers entering or leaving the country. According to the outline, the airlines would have to share information about the passengers that includes credit card numbers used to pay for the ticket, billing addresses, and the destination to which they are traveling. The proposed bill, which has not yet been submitted to the government for approval, is expected to face serious opposition once it will be up for a vote. Though supporters note that its provisions are consistent with standard passenger information collected in the United States and Europe. The bill was reportedly initiated a few years ago due to terrorist threats, but its development was accelerated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Israel sought to track passenger movements to prevent the importation of variants into the country.<br/>