Israeli Arrested for Traveling to Iraq

By Yoni Weiss

In March, an Israeli man was apprehended upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport after a trip to Iraq, as revealed by case details disclosed on Sunday. Iraq is categorized as an enemy state, barring Israelis from visiting by law.

The individual, a 24-year-old resident of Bnei Brak, traveled to Iraq via a third country using a foreign passport. Upon returning, his behavior raised suspicion among airport security personnel, leading to his transfer to Shin Bet custody following a brief interrogation.

Following a police request, the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court imposed a gag order on case specifics and remanded the suspect to custody, despite his assertion that his trip was purely for travel purposes.

The Shin Bet conducted a thorough investigation over several weeks, concluding that espionage and other security threats were not involved before transferring the case to the police.

Law enforcement officials characterized the suspect as “an adventurer.”