Israel’s Shin Bet halts cellphone tracking of coronavirus carriers – report

Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet has halted its coronavirus cellphone surveillance, an official said on Tuesday, citing the success of alternatives to the controversial method of containing contagions.

Circumventing parliament in March, the Israeli cabinet approved emergency regulations that enabled the use of the Shin Bet technology, usually deployed for anti-terrorism. Privacy watchdog groups have challenged the practice in court as lawmakers considered ratifying it.

An Israeli official said the tracking was stopped following a ministerial meeting on coronavirus on Monday, at which Shin Bet director Nadav Argaman argued that the method was not required as infections taper off under other counter-measures. This tracking will be renewed only if there is a big outbreak, at which point snap legislation would be required in parliament, Reuters quoted the unnamed official as saying.

A limited resurgence of coronavirus cases prompted PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to put the brakes on moves to reverse closures of schools and businesses.