israeli-accessibility-compliance
Israeli Accessibility Compliance
Instructions
Step 1: Understand the Legal Framework
Israeli web accessibility (negishot) is legally mandatory under the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act (Chok Shivyon Zechuyot Le'Anashim Im Mugbaluyot), 1998 and the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities (Service Accessibility Accommodations) Regulations, 2013 (Takanot Negishut LeSherut).
| Regulation | Requirement | Status | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS 5568 (2017, updated 2020 and 2023) | Israeli accessibility standard, anchored to WCAG 2.0 AA | New websites accessible from 25 October 2015; existing websites by 26 October 2017; the October 2020 date extended the lower-revenue exemption tiers, not the universal deadline | Up to 50,000 NIS statutory civil damages per violation, without proof of harm |
| Takanat Negishut LeSherut (2013) | Public websites and apps must comply | In effect; covers services provided to the public | Lawsuits + statutory damages |
| Mobile applications | Included in scope per the 2013 regulations; explicitly reaffirmed in later updates | In effect | Same statutory damages |
| Government sites | Must meet IS 5568 Level AA | In effect | Commission oversight + administrative penalty |
Note on WCAG version. The statute and regulations reference IS 5568. The dominant reading is that IS 5568, including the September 2023 Part 1 edition, stays legally anchored to WCAG 2.0 AA, with WCAG 2.1 alignment being partial or vendor-claimed rather than the legal baseline. Some sources describe IS 5568:2020 as WCAG 2.1 AA, so sources differ. The safe working target is WCAG 2.0 AA plus the Israeli-specific additions below; meeting WCAG 2.1 (and 2.2) criteria on top of that is useful future-proofing but is not the floor the law sets.
Who must comply: All public-facing Israeli websites and mobile applications of service providers open to the public, including government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, businesses, and non-profits.