New push for euthanasia bill

Yesh Atid faction Chairman MK Ofer Shelah proposed on Sunday a bill that would allow a certified physician to deliver an anesthetic dose to a dying patient designed to end the individual's life, without the facing criminal charges.

According to the bill, the patient would have to request the fatal prescription in the presence of witnesses. Shelah said, "The law would give the patient the choice to control his own life in the situation where his pain and suffering are already intolerable."

MKs Yair Levin (Likud-Beytenu), Karin Alharar (Yesh Atid), Micky Rosenthal and Nachman Shai of Labor, and David Tzur (Hatnuah) also signed the bill.

Similar bills on euthanasia have been proposed before, by Meretz Chairwoman MK Zehava Gal-On in the current Knesset, and by MK Haim Oron (Meretz) in the 18th Knesset.

Israeli law forbids causing the death of another, specifically forbidding shortening an individual's life, thereby making euthanasia a punishable offense.

Previous proposals have suggested using an automated machine to perform euthanasia on patients, similar to the switch provided by a Sabbath clock.

In August 2011, journalist Adi Talmor ended his life by assisted suicide in Switzerland because of restrictions in Israel.