Those who have returned to Israel in recent days have been exposed to a sad phenomenon:
many hundreds of tourists stand in huge lines and wait for passport control, for about two hours and sometimes even more - this is what tourists who recently landed in Israel told us.
During our recent visit to the National Bank of Israel, we discovered huge queues that start somewhere in the sleeves and continue along the entire long route, until the passport control. The queues are also spread horizontally, and the tourists are not only standing one after the other, but also in groups of five or six people across the queue.
The phenomenon started very recently, and in trying to find out what is the cause of the long lines, we came across some interesting voices from people who work there.
Spokespersons for the Population Authority told "Israel Hayom" that it is a manpower shortage, but what has changed since about two months ago, when the lines were very short?
Why did they suddenly become several times longer?
It is not clear.
"Horrible omission".
Coming out of the sleeve, photo: no credit
Sources involved in the matter talk about the internal conduct of the Population Authority: "Recently there was a criticism by the State Comptroller regarding incoming tourists, that they may not be checked properly," they say, "so there are those who want to show the Comptroller what happens when the tourists are checked properly. There is no There is no doubt that they are waiting for this article - they want to see what long queues are caused by strict tests."
The tourists' dilemma
The tourists are confused and don't understand the reason why the queues got so long, and in a conversation with "Israel Today" they complain: "It doesn't make sense, we've never seen anything like this anywhere in the world. We know that there are relatively long queues in some countries, but look at what's happening here - it A terrible mistake! Why do we have to go through something like this in our first experience in Israel?".
It is important to emphasize that the endless queues are only for the foreign tourists.
Israelis who land in Israel can use the automatic machines at the exit of the sleeves, where there are no long lines and everything is done quickly and efficiently.
Israel, photo: Koko
However, it should be noted that the long lines have existed for weeks, since the days of Ayelet Shaked as Minister of the Interior, the office responsible for the Population Authority - but they are not the only problem of her office: in the last two years, many Israelis have not been able to issue passports.
If you try to get an appointment at the various bureaus throughout the country, chances are you won't find an appointment for the next few months.
In response to this, the Population Authority is allowed to issue a temporary passport at one of the 28 largest bureaus in Israel (and only at the one to which you belong) and without the need to make an appointment, but here you will be required to pay twice - both for the temporary passport and for the regular passport that will be issued later, even though the outgoing minister promised at the time because whoever issues a temporary passport will not have to pay a double fee.
Taxis are also at the center
Beyond the unpleasant experience described here, the incoming tourists have to deal with a system of taxis that operates in a scattered manner, and with drivers, some of whom operate in violation of the law.
Thus, at the exit of the customs area, taxi drivers wait and offer passengers a ride in violation of the law, since they are not allowed to enter the terminal areas and offer their services.
They do this despite a new sign posted in the arrivals hall, when many tourists do not know that these drivers are breaking the law.
Moreover, many Israelis who recently landed in Israel report that some taxi drivers continue to refuse to operate a meter, and charge very high prices - both from Israelis and foreign tourists.
New-Old Transportation Minister Miri Regev will have to quickly find a comprehensive solution to the issue of taxis in Israel, and this will be one of the biggest tasks she will have to face. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, for his part, will have to find quick solutions to the issues of passports and the long lines for foreign tourists - omissions that were not resolved in the previous government and pass by inheritance to her replacement.
The Population and Immigration Authority responded: "The situation is known to us and stems from a shortage of border inspectors, whom we have had difficulty recruiting since the Corona period. Recently a special team was appointed, headed by the Deputy Head of the Border Control Administration, which will examine improving the conditions of the inspectors which will help recruit additional workers and reduce waiting times at the border ".
were we wrong
We will fix it!
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