Israel Police officers raided the Foreign Ministry offices in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, seizing documents and materials as part of an ongoing undercover investigation into the distribution of falsified diplomatic passports. The raid, conducted by Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigation Unit, is focused on events that occurred during the tenure of former Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, before Israel Katz took office in January.
According to reports from Haaretz and Maariv, several regional council heads, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s sons, Yair and Avner, are suspected of receiving these invalid diplomatic passports. Typically, diplomatic passports are issued to government officials to facilitate their duties abroad, such as bypassing standard visa requirements. However, individuals who received these passports allegedly did not meet the necessary prerequisites, which include passing tests that non-diplomats must undergo to be eligible for such documents.
The police investigation into the scheme was launched following concerns over the improper issuance of these passports, and sources indicate that the State Attorney’s Office is closely monitoring the case due to the high-profile individuals involved.
Although police have yet to summon the individuals suspected of participating in the fraud, the investigation is ongoing, with authorities focused on uncovering the full extent of the unauthorized distribution of diplomatic passports. The case has raised significant questions about the integrity of the Foreign Ministry’s passport distribution process and the potential misuse of official documents.
