Israel

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Israel, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Israel, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The tax implications for operating in Israel may be found at the Internal Revenue Service’s United States-Israel Income Tax Convention. For further clarification, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122.   Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Israel at 61 out of 100 (34th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e.  relatively clean).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations

Articles

The US State Department's page on ISRAEL may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AUTHORITIES IN ISRAEL DECLARED THE NORTHERN TOWNS OF NAZARETH AND ISFIYA AS RESTRICTED ZONES FROM 0800 NOVEMBER 21 - 0800 NOVEMBER 26 DUE TO HEIGHTENED CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) ACTIVITY IN THOSE AREAS.  ADDITIONALY, AUTHORITIES EXTENDED THE DECLARATION OF QALANSAWE AND BUQ'ATA AS RESTRICTED ZONES THROUGH AT LEASE 0800 NOVEMBER 27. TRAFFIC AND BUSINESS ACTIVITY  AS WELL AS MOVEMETN IN AND OUT OF RESTRICTED ZONES, IS LIMITED. ARRIVING TRAVELERS WHO CANNOT DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY CAN SELF-QUARANTINE AT HOME WILL BE ISOLATED AT A GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED FACILITY. GATHERINGS REMAIN LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE OUTDOORS AND 10 PEOPLE INDOORS. FACEMASKS ARE REQUIRED ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. AUTHORITIES COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER EASE, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

NOTE: THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUED A TRAVEL WARNING FOR ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK, AND GAZA EFFECTIVE APRIL 11, 2017. ALL TRAVELERS TO ISRAEL SHOULD READ THE ENTIRE TRAVEL WARNING BEFORE DEPARTURE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO ASSURE THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY.

If you are traveling to Israel on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here.

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of medical care in Israel is good. In a health emergency, dial 101 for a public ambulance. Pharmacies are well-stocked and reliable. For a list of medical providers and professionals in the Tel Aviv area, click here. For a list of medical providers and professionals elsewhere, click here. Although these lists are provided by the American Consulate, the Consulate assumes no responsibility for the performance of the listed institutions or physicians.

Air pollution can exceed tolerable levels in Ashkelon, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Modi'in, and Haifa. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Israel suffers from occasional water shortages. Drinking water may sometimes be contaminated, especially in rural areas. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink bottled or purified water. Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors should be avoided. Travelers should avoid raw meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Disease risks include:

  • West Nile Virus, transmitted by mosquitoes. The illness typically resolves in a week, but poses greater danger to the elderly and those with autoimmune disorders.
  • Leishmaniasis, transmitted by sand flies. The greatest danger is in rural areas from dusk to dawn.
  • Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, also known as Cave Fever, transmitted by ticks and lice. The disease is associated with caves and tombs, and the danger is highest from June to October.

Israel has a low violent crime rate. Organized crime rings occasionally engage in violence, but are unlikely to create problems for travelers. Theft is more common. Pickpockets and purse-snatchers operate after dark in urban areas, and theft from vehicles is a problem near the West Bank.  

Israel is at high risk for terrorist attacks, which can range from knife-wielding assaults to bus bombings to mass shootings. Target areas include Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and cities in the Sharon region. Attacks often come in waves, the most recent occurring in October 2015. Office buildings, government facilities, and other potential targets are usually well-protected. If a terrorist threat is suspected, security forces go on alert, establishing roadblocks or security checkpoints. 

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws and legal systems, which can be vastly different from our own. If you violate Israeli or Palestinian laws, even unknowingly, being a U.S. citizen will not help you to avoid arrest or prosecution. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking illegal drugs in Israel and PA-administered areas are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Individuals expressing views, including on social media, which the Government of Israel considers incitement to violence or hate speech may face criminal penalties. Palestinian Authority security officials have also arrested and abused Palestinians who posted criticism of the PA online, including on their Facebook pages. In Gaza, individuals publicly criticizing authorities have risked reprisal by Hamas, including arrest, interrogation, seizure of property, and harassment. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. 

Arrests and Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the Embassy or the Embassy Branch Office immediately. 

Arrests and Arrest Notification by Israel: 

  • The Government of Israel is required by a bilateral treaty and customary international law to promptly notify the U.S. Embassy when a U.S. citizen is arrested if the citizen identifies him/herself as a U.S. citizen and requests that the U.S. Embassy be notified. In practice, however, Israeli authorities often fail to provide notification, particularly in the case of resident Israeli-Americans and Palestinian-Americans, which limits the ability of the U.S. government to provide timely consular assistance. In case of arrest or detention, U.S. citizens should promptly identify themselves as such to the arresting authorities and request that the authorities notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. There are credible reports that U.S. citizens have been mistreated by Israeli security forces during their arrest and interrogation, including suffering injuries that required hospitalization.
  • Some youths over the age of 14 have been detained and tried as adults. Arrestees have reported pressure to sign documents in Hebrew that they do not understand.
  • U.S. citizens arrested in Israel for criminal or security offenses are entitled to legal representation provided by the Israeli government. U.S. citizens arrested by Israeli authorities for security offenses may be prevented from communicating with lawyers, family members, or consular officers for lengthy periods. Even after notification, consular access to the arrested individual may be delayed for days to several weeks. Under Israeli law, individuals detained for security offenses may be held for up to six months without charges.

Arrests and Arrest Notification by the Palestinian Authority (PA):

  • Individuals arrested by PA security forces in the West Bank for security offenses may be prohibited from communicating with lawyers, family members, or consular officers for lengthy periods. In addition, they may be held in custody for long periods without formal charges or before being brought before a judge for an arrest extension. The PA often does not notify the U.S. Embassy of such arrests, and consular access to arrestees is often delayed or denied. In case of arrest or detention, U.S. citizens should promptly identify themselves as such to the arresting authorities and should request that the U.S. Embassy be notified immediately.

Gaza: Since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, the Hamas Executive Forces (EF) have dominated security matters in Gaza. The U.S. government has no contact with the EF and cannot assist those arrested in Gaza.

LGBTI Rights: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) events in Israel. Israeli anti-discrimination laws protect LGBTI individuals. Acceptance and tolerance of LGBTI people varies throughout the country and from neighborhood to neighborhood. As of August 2014, the Law of Return allows that same-sex spouses of Jews immigrating to Israel –known as “making Aliyah” -- are eligible to make Aliyah with their spouses and receive Israeli citizenship.

The legal systems in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are based on the 1960 Jordanian penal code which prohibits consensual same-sex sexual activity. However, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has not prosecuted individuals suspected of such activity. Societal discrimination based on cultural and religious traditions is commonplace, making the West Bank and Gaza challenging environments for LGBTI persons. Some Palestinians have claimed PA security officers harassed, abused, and sometimes arrested LGBTI individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. NGOs reported Hamas also harassed and detained persons in Gaza due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

LGBTI travelers are encouraged to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings, especially when entering religious or socially conservative areas.