Dozens of Israelis who returned from training were caught today (Thursday) with fake tests, following early information received by the Ministry of Health.
It should be noted that at this point about ten of the detainees were released to their homes, and only a few were arrested.
Throughout the day, all those landing in Israel are inspected, and sources involved in the matter estimate that the number of fake inspections will increase significantly - and there are fears of hundreds of similar cases.
About 25,000 Israelis traveled to Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, and more than 10,000 will return to Israel during the day.
Hundreds of Israelis flew to Uman with fake tests?
(Those photographed have no connection to the article) // Photo: Yehuda Peretz,
In response, Prime Minister Bennett instructed to take severe enforcement action against trained patients who entered Israel fraudulently.
Bennett ordered: "These guidelines apply to any case of a verified patient entering Israel fraudulently - all verified people who entered Israel fraudulently will be summoned for questioning by the Israel Police and a full criminal proceeding will be opened against the lawbreakers, including all relevant charges. intentionally".
He added: "Every verified patient who returned to Israel fraudulently and landed at Ben Gurion Airport will be evacuated to his home in a designated vehicle or by ambulance, in order to maintain public health. The patient will be charged for this trip.
"Each of the verified will be required in 10-day solitary confinement, which will be enforced by the Israel Police.
A person who is unable to maintain home insulation and has declared this - will be sent to the Corona Hotel for at least 10 days of isolation.
"A person who has improved the duty of home isolation will have his income in detention examined," he said.
The Prime Minister concluded: "In parallel with these measures, the application of a special regulation is being examined, in the framework of which patients will be trained for 14 days in isolation in Corona hotels."
These are passengers who left Uman for Israel, were examined in Ukraine and were found there verified.
According to information provided to the Population Authority, dozens of them boarded flights with fake permits.
So far, 16 passengers have been detained at the entrance by the border controllers of the Population and Immigration Authority, who have been transferred for further police treatment.
They will probably enter further during the evening and night.
Police will come to these verified homes to make sure they are not violating isolation.
Over ten were caught with fake tests (photographers have no connection to the article) // Photo: Yehuda Peretz,
Artist Operation: Effort to Prevent Counterfeiting
About a week and a half before the flights to Uman took off, the law enforcement authorities feared a wave of forgeries by verified followers of the virus and refused to stay in Israel.
In previous years, a senior official told Israel Today, there has been an industry of forgery of passports by Hasidim who were willing to do anything to get to the grave of Rabbi Nachman Mauman, so there will be those who will not hesitate to forge a corona check to get there, certainly after a year of absence.
To combat the phenomenon, law enforcement officials said they would take a series of anti-counterfeiting measures.
Among other things, the corona certificates will be examined very carefully.
In addition, they warn the devotees that if fakes are indeed found this could dramatically delay the flight - something that will hurt the hundreds of passengers to Uman who are on the plane.
The senior official points out that flights may be delayed for long hours after their original departure time.
The hope was that the very threat of delaying flights to Ukraine would be enough to make forgers think twice and avoid flying, as such messages are quickly conveyed in followers' WhatsApp groups.
Participated in the preparation of the article: Itzik Saban and Ariel Kahana
