This country/region is part of the Global Law and Policy Page, which contains information about laws that protect disabled people’s rights to participate in the digital world.
- The Israeli accessibility regulations were amended in 2017 to require all websites and apps to be accessible; new ones have to be accessible by design. Both private and public entities providing services online are required to apply Internet Accessibility Standard (Israel Standard 5668 Part 1 – web accessibility, which has adopted W3C AI WCAG 2.0 at AA level. All digital documents uploaded after Oct 2017 must be accessible by the Israel Standard 5668 Part 2 – document accessibility. Documents, such as bank client’s statements that are generated in interior areas in websites– is to be made accessibly by 2022. Accessible websites and apps are required to include a sign that the web site is accessible, an accessibility statement, information on all accessibility services and contact information on accessibility director.
- Captions are required for time-based media (Level A) uploaded after 2017. However, only public authorities and large-scale private businesses have to provide them. In addition, lectures, conferences and similar events presented online, may offer a text document as alternative to online accommodations.However, since the beginning of the Pandemic, many online conferences, webinars, and other events routinely provide at least live captions. Services provided or promoted through social media are required to use the accessibility features offered by the platforms. Websites which host third-party content have to provide accessibility options, such as alt text descriptions for images.
- Small businesses may be granted an exemption, limited to 3 years. Exemptions may also be granted to any service, if the accommodations are technically impossible. The regulations are enforced both administratively, by the Commission on Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities – a government agency – and through civil legal proceedings.
- Israeli Equal Rights Commission for Persons with Disabilities pages on web accessibility (Hebrew)
- Regulations on Access to Public Services