Self Defense in Circumstances of Domestic Violence: Introducing a Self- Defense Bill to the Israeli Penal Code

תקציר

The article examines the legal framework in which the common law criminal self-defence exception is applied in Israel in circumstances of domestic violence. The article scrutinizes the Israeli legal doctrine of ‘self-defence’ with reference to recent amendments to the Israeli Penal Code pertaining to the legal doctrine of ‘castle-defence’, which grants a person defending his home and property wide protection from criminal liability. Aside from a critical review of the Israeli legislation on these two legal doctrines, the article suggests a detailed statutory legal amendment of section 34 of the Israeli Penal Code, for a proper application of the self-defence exception in circumstances of domestic abuse.