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Israel

Copyright Act, 2007 (as amended through Amendment No. 5, 2019).

Copyright exception history

0%20%40%60%80%100%199019952000200520102015202020251990: 100%1991: 100%1992: 100%1993: 100%1994: 100%1995: 100%1996: 100%1997: 100%1998: 100%1999: 100%2000: 100%2001: 100%2002: 100%2003: 100%2004: 100%2005: 100%2006: 100%2007: 100%2008: 100%2009: 100%2010: 100%2011: 100%2012: 100%2013: 100%2014: 100%2015: 100%2016: 100%2017: 100%2018: 100%2019: 100%2020: 100%2021: 100%2022: 100%2023: 100%2024: 100%2025: 100%YearOpenness score (%)

Selected year snapshot

For 1993, the active event in this file is Copyright Ordinance, 1924 (Mandatory Palestine, continued in force).

100%

Current rationale

The Copyright Ordinance of 1924 applied in Israel from the British Mandate period and remained in force until replaced by the Copyright Act 2007. It incorporated the UK Copyright Act 1911, whose Section 2(1)(i) provided a fair dealing exception for 'private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary.' The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), applies to any work, and is not restricted to a particular class of user. 'Research' and 'private study' are listed as separate purposes. This is a general fair dealing clause open to any user, any work, and any use (dealing), which maps to GREEN. The 'private' qualifier attaches to 'study' only, not to 'research.' Non-commercial restrictions, copy limits, and proportionality qualifiers are classification-neutral.

Exceptions considered

Section 2(1)(i) (via UK Copyright Act 1911)100%Fair DealingMost permissive

Fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary

Law changes

Copyright Ordinance, 1924 (Mandatory Palestine, continued in force)

Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01

100%

Relevant section: Section 2(1) (incorporating UK Copyright Act 1911, Section 2(1)(i))

Dates: Effective 1990-01-01

Why this score

The Copyright Ordinance of 1924 applied in Israel from the British Mandate period and remained in force until replaced by the Copyright Act 2007. It incorporated the UK Copyright Act 1911, whose Section 2(1)(i) provided a fair dealing exception for 'private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary.' The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), applies to any work, and is not restricted to a particular class of user. 'Research' and 'private study' are listed as separate purposes. This is a general fair dealing clause open to any user, any work, and any use (dealing), which maps to GREEN. The 'private' qualifier attaches to 'study' only, not to 'research.' Non-commercial restrictions, copy limits, and proportionality qualifiers are classification-neutral.

Exceptions considered

Section 2(1)(i) (via UK Copyright Act 1911)100%Fair DealingMost permissive

Fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary

English rendering

Copyright Act, 2007 (חוק זכות יוצרים, התשס״ח-2007)

Relevant update · Effective 2008-05-25

100%

Relevant section: Section 19 (Fair Use), Section 20 (Private Study and Research), Section 30 (Library and Archive Copying)

Dates: Effective 2008-05-25 · Enacted 2007-11-19

Why this score

The Copyright Act 2007 replaced the 1924 Ordinance and introduced a US-style open fair use provision in Section 19. Section 19(a) permits 'fair use of a work' for purposes 'such as' private study, research, criticism, review, etc. The word 'such as' makes the list illustrative, not exhaustive. The term 'use' covers any exclusive right (reproduction, communication, distribution, etc.), not only reproduction. It applies to any work and any user — there is no restriction to individuals or institutions. 'Research' is listed as a separate illustrative purpose alongside 'private study.' This is a general fair use clause open to any user, any work, and any use, mapping to GREEN. Section 20 provides additional specific permissions for private study and research (reproduction of a reasonable portion). Section 30 provides library/archive copying rights. These are less permissive than Section 19 and do not determine the classification. Classification-neutral factors (proportionality via the four-factor test, non-commercial considerations) were not used to change the color.

Exceptions considered

Section 19100%Fair UseMost permissive

General fair use: 'Fair use of a work is permitted for purposes such as: private study, research, criticism, review, journalistic reporting, quotation, or instruction and examination by an educational institution.' Open-ended, any user, any work, any use.

Section 2080%Research

Permits reproduction of a reasonable portion of a work for private study or research, and reproduction of a full work if it cannot be obtained commercially within a reasonable time at a reasonable price.

Section 3040%Library Institutional

Library and archive copying: permits a librarian or archivist to make a copy of a work for a person requesting it for research or private study, subject to conditions.

Original text

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Copyright Act (Amendment No. 5), 2019

Relevant update · Effective 2019-01-01

100%

Relevant section: Section 48A (Indirect infringement by making available), Section 50A (Orphan works)

Dates: Effective 2019-01-01 · Enacted 2019-01-01

Why this score

Amendment No. 5 (2019) added provisions on indirect copyright infringement by making available to the public (Section 48A), restriction of access to infringing internet sites (Section 53A), exposing the identity of copyright infringers online, and use of orphan works (Section 50A). The orphan works provision (Section 50A) is potentially relevant to research as it permits use of works whose rights holders cannot be identified or located after a diligent search. However, this does not change the overall classification because Section 19 (general fair use) remains in force and is more permissive. The amendment did not modify Sections 19, 20, or 30. The overall classification remains GREEN based on the unchanged Section 19 fair use provision.

Exceptions considered

Section 19100%Fair UseMost permissive

General fair use clause (unchanged): permits fair use of a work for purposes such as private study, research, criticism, review, etc. Any user, any work, any use.

Section 2080%Research

Reproduction for private study and research (unchanged).

Section 3040%Library Institutional

Library and archive copying for research (unchanged).

Section 50A100%Other

Use of orphan works after diligent search for rights holder. Permits use of works whose owner cannot be identified or located.

Source links

Copyright Act, 2007 (as amended through Amendment No. 5, 2019)

Current law confirmation · Effective 2025-01-01

100%

Relevant section: Section 19 (Fair Use), Section 20 (Private Study and Research), Section 30 (Library and Archive Copying)

Dates: Effective 2025-01-01

Why this score

As of 2025, the Copyright Act 2007 (as amended) remains in force. Section 19 provides a general, open-ended fair use exception modeled on US fair use. It permits 'fair use of a work' for purposes 'such as' private study, research, criticism, review, etc. The list is illustrative (not exhaustive). Uses: 'use' covers any exclusive right including reproduction, communication, distribution, and making available. Works: applies to any work without category exclusions. Users: no restriction to any particular class — any person may invoke fair use. This maps to GREEN. Section 20 (reproduction for private study/research) and Section 30 (library/archive copying) remain in force but are less permissive. There is no specific TDM exception in Israeli law, but TDM activities for research purposes would fall within the scope of Section 19's general fair use provision. Classification-neutral factors (the four-factor balancing test, non-commercial purpose consideration) were not used to change the color.

Exceptions considered

Section 19100%Fair UseMost permissive

General fair use: permits fair use of a work for purposes such as private study, research, criticism, review, journalistic reporting, quotation, or instruction and examination by an educational institution. Open-ended, any user, any work, any use.

Section 2080%Research

Permits reproduction of a reasonable portion of a work for private study or research; permits reproduction of a full work if it cannot be obtained commercially within a reasonable time at a reasonable price.

Section 3040%Library Institutional

Library and archive copying: permits a librarian or archivist to make a copy of a work for a person requesting it for research or private study, subject to conditions.

Section 50A100%Other

Use of orphan works after diligent search for rights holder (added by Amendment No. 5, 2019).

Original text

Source links