Russian and Ukrainian tourists visiting Israel are being subjected to hours of questioning and turned away by border officials at Israeli airports.
Border officers are confiscating passports upon arrival and sending incoming passengers to specialized holding areas where waiting times can reach up to six hours, according to the news channel Mash.
During the mandatory waiting period, foreign travellers are strictly forbidden from moving around the airport terminal and are permitted only to visit the restroom. Inside the designated waiting room, passengers are provided with access to a water cooler, electrical charging outlets, and a sandwich made with cheese and olives.
Interrogation procedures and document checks
During questioning, border officials take front-facing photographs of foreign visitors and collect fingerprints from their index fingers. Inspectors question travellers regarding the specific purpose of their trip, personal acquaintances living in Israel, and details concerning their employment and place of residence in Russia.
Travellers are also asked to state their monthly salary levels and the exact amount of cash they are carrying into the country. Border authorities examine home ownership in Russia with particular scrutiny, frequently requiring passengers to present documentation proving property rights, salary payment records, and official bank transfer statements.
In several cases, border control staff contact hotels across Israel directly to verify whether room reservations made by arriving passengers are genuine.
Detention conditions and deportation rules
Foreign visitors suspected of seeking illegal employment, planning to remain in the country beyond authorized limits, or intending to search for a spouse in Israel are formally refused entry and ordered to return home.
Prior to their departure flight, rejected passengers are placed inside a migration holding cell. Security personnel confiscate mobile phones and personal belongings, placing them into luggage storage facilities. Detainees are issued basic hygiene items, including a bedsheet, a towel, shampoo, and a toothbrush. Leaving the cell to smoke is permitted only in organized group contingents.
The intensified scrutiny follows a previous incident where a Russian woman was denied entry into Israel after passport control staff discovered Russian rubles in her wallet. The inspecting officer questioned why she was carrying currency that cannot be exchanged within Israel, resulting in the decision to deport her.
Entry requirements and border protocols
Israel handles the overwhelming majority of its international passenger traffic through Ben Gurion Airport, located near Tel Aviv. The airport serves as the principal entry point for international travellers, where border security protocols are administered by the Population and Immigration Authority.
Under bilateral diplomatic agreements, citizens of both Russia and Ukraine are generally permitted visa-free entry into Israel for short tourist visits of up to 90 days. However, visa-free status does not guarantee entry, and Israeli border authorities retain full legal discretion to conduct secondary screenings or deny entry to foreign visitors at international ports of entry.
