Israel's interior minister Nathan Sharanski has announced that he plans to close the Israeli Film Censorship Board and replace it with a tougher movie ratings system based on age.

The board has traditionally imposed outright bans on films thought unsuitable for Israeli audiences. However, Sharanski said he longer sees the point of banning films which are easily available via videocassettes and cable broadcasts, as Israel does not censor these two ancillary markets.

While Sharanski hasn't specified which kind of ratings system would replace the board he has been an outspoken critic of violence in Hollywood films.