The case law for access to archival materials is still sparse and limited. Most archive users do not resort to legal procedures when denied their request to consult a particular material, whether due to lack of resources, reluctance to fall foul with institutions they rely upon to perform their job, or the typical lingering of legal procedures versus the more pressing need for materials. Yet some High Court petitions of recent years – most notably the Gorenberg and Yedioth Ahronoth affairs – were the driving force behind the necessary 2010 amendments to the Access Regulations.

Interestingly, in each of these cases, petitioners were journalists, guided by the professional ethos of the freedom of information and its importance for the freedom of expression. Also, and just as importantly – such petitioners enjoy appropriate legal representation, usually funded by their employers or by organizations advocating human rights.

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