Discrimination
is a negative social phenomenon. Discrimination deeply hurts the dignity of the
person discriminated against and prevents him or her from assimilating equally
in the Israeli society. One of the worst expressions of discrimination in daily
life occur the private business sector, when a person is refused entrance,
service or product only because he or she belongs to a specific social group.
The Prohibition
of Discrimination in Products, Services and Entry into Places of Entertainment
and Public Places Law, which was enacted in 2000, was intended to cope with
this negative phenomenon and ensure that the entire population enjoy equal
opportunity in access to products, services, and places open to the general
public
.
What
does the law say?
The
law prohibits providers of product or public services (such as communication,
entertainment, tourism or banking) as well as providers of services in public
places (places open to the public such as malls, clubs, restaurants or cafes)
from discriminating in providing the public service, the product, or the
entrance to the public places on the grounds of race, religion or religious
group, nationality, country of origin, sex, sexual orientation, political views,
party membership, personal status or parenthood.
> The Prohibition of Discrimination in Products,
Services and Entry into Places of Entertainment and Public Places Law – 2000
Have
you suffered discrimination? There are things you can do.
The law
defines two means of action:
1.
Filing
a civil suit – the courts can order compensation of up to NIS 66,500 even without
proof of damage.
2.
Filing
a complaint with the police – the maximum punishment for discrimination conviction
is a fine of NIS 150,000. Also, the courts can order the discriminating business
to close.