Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court recently ruled that any owner of a public establishment is obligated to prevent his employees, customers, and guests from smoking on the premises, and to take the necessary reasonable steps toward that end ? even if it results in financial losses for the establishment.

The court ruled last Thursday that restaurant owners must tell customers who refuse to stop smoking to leave, and likewise make it clear to employees that they will be fired for smoking. According to the court, failure to take such action constitutes a violation of civil law, and would require the restaurant to pay compensation.

In addition, the court ruled that smoking in a restaurant in a manner that harms other diners is assault and negligence according to civil law. This is a significant change in the courts' approach to violations of the smoking law, which in the past had treated the cases as the lesser transgression of "violating a legal obligation."