Israeli Daylight Saving Law
Encyclopedia
Israel Summer Time also in English, Israel Daylight Time (IDT) is the practice in Israel
by which clocks are advanced by one hour around Passover
to make the most of seasonal daylight. Since 2005, this period extends every year from 2:00 a.m. on the last Friday before April 2, i.e. on the Friday on or before April 1 (irrespective of when Passover falls) and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah
, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur
(note that weekends in Israel are Friday to Saturday).
was governed by the Time Act, a law inherited by Israel from the British Mandate of Palestine. Summer Time was introduced in Israel between the years 1948–1957, but the length of Daylight Saving Time has changed significantly depending on the year. In 1951–1952, it was enacted for about seven months, whereas in the years 1953–1954 it was enacted for only three months. In 1958, daylight saving time was canceled. Due to the global energy crisis
because of the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War
, Summer Time was enacted again from 1974–1975.
Up until 1992, daylight saving time was operated by an order of the minister of the interior
. In 1980 the authority of the minister for this matter was contested in an appeal to the supreme court. The supreme court decided that the minister's authority was indeed more limited than the common practice, as he may only decide on the dates of DST while its operation is unquestionable. Following this decision the Knesset amended the Time Act so the minister will also have the authority to abolish DST in a certain year.
law governing Israeli daylight saving time
. It was approved by the Knesset
in 1992, replacing the British Mandate of Palestine time act inherited by Israel. The 1992 time zone law cancelled the Time Act, and stipulated that DST will be operated for at least 150 days each year, and that the final dates will be decided by the minister of the Interior, subject to the approval of the Knesset committee for internal affairs. In some years the decision as to which day summer time would start or end was made at the very last minute due to political haggling and this caused disruption to international airline schedules at Ben Gurion Airport.
and the end to precede Yom Kippur
, the Day of Atonement, while the secular parties would argue for starting it earlier and ending it later. Thus, there was no established rule that could guarantee a predictable changeover in either direction. The debates about a fixed rule for determining the dates of DST went on for years, and resulted in a suggestion that DST will start on the 2nd day of Passover and end on the weekend between Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur. This suggestion was rejected as it stipulated an annual DST period of only 5 months, and yet it served as the basis of the final compromise. After 2005, the annual debate has been effectively ended.
In the past, the unpredictability of DST in Israel became frustrating enough that Microsoft Windows
stopped trying to track changes and just made Israeli time be Greenwich Mean Time
plus two hours (GMT+2) (and disabled the daylight saving option). This has led to various ad hoc solutions to the problem in Windows systems and other Microsoft software (e.g. Outlook
calendar entries are often off by an hour when shared, due to the lack of DST support). On November 17, 2009, Microsoft released an update that has daylight saving time enabled for Israel. However, the date for transition back to Standard Time is set as the Second Sunday of September, regardless of the Hebrew Calendar date. Windows 7 does contain correct DST times up to 2023, but not all software makes use of this extra information.
In 2010, due to an unusually large difference between the lunar based Hebrew calendar and the solar calendar the date of the return to winter time was September 12, which was very early. This sparked protests by the more secular public, and calls for a change in the way the date is determined. Many members of the government were sympathetic to this and at one point in the ensuing row the Minister even proposed moving to winter time just for Yom Kippur
, the Day of Atonement and then returning to summer time. In September 2010 the argument over the dates for summer time reached new heights and some firms even refused to adopt it.
announced his support for extending DST, setting the ending time to the beginning of October. The change still requires the approval of the Knesset.
In territories controlled by the Palestinian National Authority
, DST ends later, which can lead to some confusion. On September 5, 1999, terrorists were transporting two bombs that they mistakenly thought were set to go off at 17:30 Israel Standard Time; they were actually set for 17:30 Palestinian Daylight Time, which was an hour ahead. As a result, the bombs went off while being transported, killing the terrorists.
Darwin Awards
are given out to "commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives" by "eliminat[ing] themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chance of long-term survival." The 1999 winner was awarded to a group of Palestinian terrorists who neglected to note that Israel had already switched that year from daylight saving time to standard time because of the religious holiday. The bombs had been prepared in a Palestinian-controlled area, and set on Daylight Saving time. The drivers had already switched to standard time, and the cars were still en-route when the explosives detonated, killing them but no one else.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by which clocks are advanced by one hour around Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
to make the most of seasonal daylight. Since 2005, this period extends every year from 2:00 a.m. on the last Friday before April 2, i.e. on the Friday on or before April 1 (irrespective of when Passover falls) and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
(note that weekends in Israel are Friday to Saturday).
History
Until 2005, the schedule was variable: the only requirement was that there be at least 150 days per year of DST, and the dates were set out each year by the Ministry of the Interior.Pre–1992
Before 1992, daylight savingDaylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
was governed by the Time Act, a law inherited by Israel from the British Mandate of Palestine. Summer Time was introduced in Israel between the years 1948–1957, but the length of Daylight Saving Time has changed significantly depending on the year. In 1951–1952, it was enacted for about seven months, whereas in the years 1953–1954 it was enacted for only three months. In 1958, daylight saving time was canceled. Due to the global energy crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
because of the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, Summer Time was enacted again from 1974–1975.
Up until 1992, daylight saving time was operated by an order of the minister of the interior
Internal Affairs Minister of Israel
The Interior Minister , also known as the Minister of Internal Affairs is head of the Israeli Ministry of Interior and an important portfolio in the cabinet. The current Interior Minister is Eli Yishai of Shas...
. In 1980 the authority of the minister for this matter was contested in an appeal to the supreme court. The supreme court decided that the minister's authority was indeed more limited than the common practice, as he may only decide on the dates of DST while its operation is unquestionable. Following this decision the Knesset amended the Time Act so the minister will also have the authority to abolish DST in a certain year.
1992–2005
The Law Determining the Time ( ) is an IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
law governing Israeli daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
. It was approved by the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
in 1992, replacing the British Mandate of Palestine time act inherited by Israel. The 1992 time zone law cancelled the Time Act, and stipulated that DST will be operated for at least 150 days each year, and that the final dates will be decided by the minister of the Interior, subject to the approval of the Knesset committee for internal affairs. In some years the decision as to which day summer time would start or end was made at the very last minute due to political haggling and this caused disruption to international airline schedules at Ben Gurion Airport.
2005–present
Until 2005, the start and end of DST each year was established in an ad hoc fashion as the result of haggling between political parties representing various sectors of Israeli society. Parties representing religious groups wanted the start delayed till after PassoverPassover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
and the end to precede Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
, the Day of Atonement, while the secular parties would argue for starting it earlier and ending it later. Thus, there was no established rule that could guarantee a predictable changeover in either direction. The debates about a fixed rule for determining the dates of DST went on for years, and resulted in a suggestion that DST will start on the 2nd day of Passover and end on the weekend between Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
and Yom Kippur. This suggestion was rejected as it stipulated an annual DST period of only 5 months, and yet it served as the basis of the final compromise. After 2005, the annual debate has been effectively ended.
In the past, the unpredictability of DST in Israel became frustrating enough that Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
stopped trying to track changes and just made Israeli time be Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
plus two hours (GMT+2) (and disabled the daylight saving option). This has led to various ad hoc solutions to the problem in Windows systems and other Microsoft software (e.g. Outlook
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
calendar entries are often off by an hour when shared, due to the lack of DST support). On November 17, 2009, Microsoft released an update that has daylight saving time enabled for Israel. However, the date for transition back to Standard Time is set as the Second Sunday of September, regardless of the Hebrew Calendar date. Windows 7 does contain correct DST times up to 2023, but not all software makes use of this extra information.
In 2010, due to an unusually large difference between the lunar based Hebrew calendar and the solar calendar the date of the return to winter time was September 12, which was very early. This sparked protests by the more secular public, and calls for a change in the way the date is determined. Many members of the government were sympathetic to this and at one point in the ensuing row the Minister even proposed moving to winter time just for Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
, the Day of Atonement and then returning to summer time. In September 2010 the argument over the dates for summer time reached new heights and some firms even refused to adopt it.
Proposals for change
On 6 June 2011, Internal Affairs Minister Eli YishaiEli Yishai
Eliyahu "Eli" Yishai is an Israeli politician and head of the Shas party. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Shas, and as both one of four Deputy Prime Ministers and Minister of Internal Affairs.- Political life :...
announced his support for extending DST, setting the ending time to the beginning of October. The change still requires the approval of the Knesset.
Daylight time in Palestinian territories
The Palestinian Territories operate on "Palestinian Standard Time", which observes DST at slightly different times. This has led to some confusion.In territories controlled by the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
, DST ends later, which can lead to some confusion. On September 5, 1999, terrorists were transporting two bombs that they mistakenly thought were set to go off at 17:30 Israel Standard Time; they were actually set for 17:30 Palestinian Daylight Time, which was an hour ahead. As a result, the bombs went off while being transported, killing the terrorists.
Darwin Awards
Darwin Awards
The Darwin Awards are a tongue-in-cheek honor, created by Wendy Northcutt to recognize individuals who contribute to human evolution by self-selecting themselves out of the gene pool through putting themselves in life-threatening situations...
are given out to "commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives" by "eliminat[ing] themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chance of long-term survival." The 1999 winner was awarded to a group of Palestinian terrorists who neglected to note that Israel had already switched that year from daylight saving time to standard time because of the religious holiday. The bombs had been prepared in a Palestinian-controlled area, and set on Daylight Saving time. The drivers had already switched to standard time, and the cars were still en-route when the explosives detonated, killing them but no one else.
Summer time start and end dates 2007-2016
| Summer Time | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Summer Time begins | Summer Time ends |
| 2007 | 30 March | 16 September |
| 2008 | 28 March | 5 October |
| 2009 | 27 March | 27 September |
| 2010 | 26 March | 12 September |
| 2011 | 1 April | 2 October |
| 2012 | 30 March | 23 September |
| 2013 | 29 March | 8 September |
| 2014 | 28 March | 28 September |
| 2015 | 27 March | 20 September |
| 2016 | 1 April | 9 October |
External links
- Lingnu's Windows Timezone Files for Israeli DST
- Microsoft (Hebrew Language) Support entry regarding daylight saving time in Israel
- [ftp://ftp.cs.huji.ac.il/pub/tz/announcements/ Official Israeli government releases regarding daylight saving time]
- [ftp://ftp.cs.huji.ac.il/pub/tz/israel/ Timezone configuration files for various operating systems]