A government appointed committee headed by Tel Aviv District Court Judge Hadassah Ben-Ito has recommended that prostitution be legalized. It also called for liberalization of other laws pertaining to sexual conduct. The committee consists of sociologists and legal experts.
The committee went so far as to propose that “discreet” advertising by prostitutes be permitted in newspapers and that prostitutes be allowed to receive customers in certain hotels. Sexual relations in cars would also be permissible provided it did not constitute a public nuisance.
The recommendations, representing two years of research and deliberations, were submitted to Justice Minister Haim Zadok. The panel stated that it was impossible to eradicate prostitution and therefore it was better to legalize it and take it off the streets.
The committee estimated that there are approximately 1000 prostitutes active in Tel Aviv and more than 100 in Jerusalem. Many come from poverty homes, were poorly educated and are often sick. It also estimated that there are about 50 call girls who ply their trade in Tel Aviv and earn as much as IL 10,000 a month from serving only 10-12 selected customers.
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