Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit is set to increase the involvement of the Shin Bet security service in the national effort against coronavirus.
He will approve more invasive civilian surveillance measures to allow more accurate mapping of infection hotspots and health officials to conduct epidemiological reports quicker and more efficiently.
Mandelblit is expected to announce the new measures ahead of a government meeting that will address the issue in the coming days, as the Shin Bet's current remit to digitally track potential coronavirus carriers expires at the end of the month.
The government plans to grant the security agency an extension and introduce new and more intrusive surveillance measures.
Mandelblit will head a team that will oversee the Shin Bet's activity under strict regulatory conditions. The Knesset Subcommittee for Secret Services will also be required to monitor and supervise all operations.
Sources familiar with the matter told Ynet that although Shin Bet will intrude even further into some civilians' privacy, others will be left off the hook thanks to the increased surveillance.
"When dealing with such an epidemic, saving lives in a time-limited and supervised manner comes before the right to privacy," the sources said.
The Supreme Court discussed several appeals against the move as fears of unlawful breaches of civilians' privacy mounted but ultimately decided to authorize the measures meant to fight coronavirus.