This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TEL AVIV 001336 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP: FOR SALLY NEUMANN; NEA/RA: JOHN MENARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB IS ISRAELI SOCIETY GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: ISRAEL: FIFTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 
(1 OF 3) 
 
REF: SECSTATE 273089 
 
¶1.  (SBU) This cable is the first part of a three-part 
message in response to reftel.  Embassy point of contact is 
poloff Jenifer Joyce, telephone number (972) (3) 519-7437. 
Fax number (972)(3) 519-7484.  Poloff spent approximately 80 
hours in preparation of the report.  Deputy polcouns spent 
approximately 20 hours, and polcouns approximately 10 hours. 
Over the past three years the Government of Israel has 
provided extensive written answers to post's questions on 
trafficking.  This year the GOI submitted written answers to 
most of post's questions in February 2005.  As such, this 
cable has been prepared with information provided by the GOI, 
NGOs and the press. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
Overview of the Country's Activities to Eliminate TIP 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶A.  Is the country a country of origin, transit or 
destination for internationally trafficked men, women or 
children? 
 
Israel is a country of destination for victims of TIP, 
primarily for the purpose of prostitution, according to 
statistics compiled by the GOI and NGOs.  NGOs claim that 
some men and women are also trafficked for the purpose of 
labor, but no evidence of the trafficking of children exists. 
 GOI officials acknowledge that Israel's population of 
foreign workers sometimes suffers from exploitative work 
conditions, failure to pay proper wages, and some physical 
and emotional abuse, and that some cases exist of trafficked 
foreign workers, especially from China.  The GOI says it 
cannot determine how many foreign workers in Israel are 
actually victims of trafficking. 
 
-- Specify numbers for each group. 
 
Sex Trafficking: The latest available statistics are for the 
2003 calendar year, for which the police estimate that 2,000 
to 3,000 women were trafficked into Israel for the purpose of 
prostitution.  (Please note: This estimate is significantly 
higher than the estimate of 700 trafficked persons that the 
GOI reported last year for CY 2003, and which post cited in 
its report.  Post believes and will seek to confirm that the 
700 figure may have actually represented the number of women 
deported after being identified as victims of trafficking for 
the purpose of prostitution.)  Police intelligence sources 
estimate that during 2004, the number of women trafficked 
into Israel decreased to between 1,000 and 1,500, due to the 
closure of many brothels, stiffer sentences for traffickers, 
and police vigilance at the borders, an assessment with which 
NGOs concur. 
 
Labor Trafficking: The GOI claims, although it does not have 
reliable statistics, that trafficking for the purpose of 
labor is not a widespread problem.  Trafficked workers who 
come to the attention of the authorities are simply 
categorized as illegal foreign workers, unless, as in rare 
cases, they seek legal action against their traffickers.  The 
government says that between 60,000 and 70,000 foreign 
workers reside in Israel today, and the government does not 
know how many of those have been trafficked.  Two NGOs claim 
that approximately 200,000 foreign workers are in Israel and 
that 20 percent of these have been trafficked into Israel, 
although such NGOs are unable to offer evidence to support 
that claim.  One of those NGOs says say that most trafficking 
victims for labor enter the country legally with visas, that 
there are 80,000 to 100,000 legal foreign workers currently 
in Israel, and that 20 percent of this group has been 
trafficked (approximately 16,000 to 20,000).  NGOs say that 
each year 30,000 new foreign workers enter Israel legally. 
 
-- Does the trafficking occur within the country's borders? 
 
According to GOI and NGO contacts, no trafficking of Israelis 
or other legal residents of Israel or the occupied 
territories occurs within the country's borders, or 
elsewhere.  Evidence gained in court cases suggests that 
pimps sometimes "sell" foreign women trafficked into Israel 
for prostitution to other pimps within Israel.  NGOs allege 
that manpower agencies and employers sometimes sell or lend 
their trafficked foreign workers to other agencies or 
employers. 
 
-- Does it occur in territory outside of the government's 
control (e.g. in a civil war situation)? 
 
The GOI controls the entirety of Israel. 
 
-- Are any estimates or reliable numbers available as to the 
extent or magnitude of the problem?  What is the source of 
the available information on trafficking in persons?  How 
reliable are the numbers and these sources? 
 
These figures, cited above, are generally reliable, although 
the government and NGOs differ in their estimates.  NGOs do 
not compile specific data, and use largely anecdotal and 
observational resources to determine their estimates.  GOI 
information is based largely on data collected by the Israeli 
Police, including from the Border Police, intelligence 
sources, the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration 
Administration. 
 
-- Are certain groups of persons more at risk of being 
trafficked? 
 
Yes, foreign women are the only group at risk of being 
trafficked into Israel for the purpose of prostitution, and 
evidence indicates that trafficking of women is conducted 
almost exclusively for the purpose of prostitution.  The 
government also points out that some Chinese workers, both 
male and female, have been victims of fraud and abuse and 
have been forced to pay exorbitant fees to obtain employment 
in Israel.  NGOs claim that Filipino and Thai workers are 
also trafficked into Israel for labor. 
 
¶B.  Where are the persons trafficked from?  Where are the 
persons trafficked to? 
 
Sex trafficking: According to the GOI, most victims come from 
the former Soviet Union, primarily Ukraine, Moldova, 
Uzbekistan and Russia.  During 2003, Moldova was the number 
one source country, but the GOI and NGOs say Uzbekistan has 
become the leading source country, based on police 
intelligence data and information about the nationalities of 
women who are being deported. 
 
Labor Trafficking: GOI data indicate that most foreign 
workers overall come primarily from Romania, the Philippines, 
China, Thailand, Turkey, Jordan and the FSU.  No reliable 
data exist on the number or origins of trafficked workers, 
according to the GOI. 
 
¶C.  Have there been any changes in the direction or extent of 
trafficking? 
 
Israeli police claim that trafficking of persons for 
prostitution decreased, due in part to the closure of 
numerous brothels and the deterrent effect of longer 
sentences for traffickers.  GOI officials say a new method of 
trafficking women into Israel has emerged, primarily in 
Ukraine, by which the victims obtain visas using fraudulent 
identification documents of Jewish Ukrainians, who, as Jews, 
are eligible under Israeli law to immigrate to Israel.  GOI 
officials could offer no estimates of the numbers of persons 
trafficked by this means. 
 
Sex Trafficking: GOI and NGO data indicate that Uzbekistan 
has replaced Moldova as the number one source country for 
victims of trafficking for sex/prostitution. 
 
Labor Trafficking: No reliable data exist to document the 
scale of labor trafficking, and NGOs and the GOI differ in 
their estimates of the problem.  Of those workers identified 
as having been trafficked, most now come from China, 
according to NGOs and government sources, although some also 
come from the Philippines and Thailand. 
 
¶D.  Are any efforts or surveys planned or underway to 
document the extent and nature of trafficking in the country? 
 
 
The Research Department in the Intelligence Division of the 
Israeli Police monitors criminal behavior to identify new 
trends and developments in the field of trafficking.  In 
2004, the Intelligence Department disseminated an internal 
study dealing with the phenomenon and setting goals to be 
accomplished by the police.  The study concluded that most 
victims of trafficking for prostitution are entering Israel 
through the border with Egypt, and that the stricter 
sentencing for traffickers is having a deterrent effect on 
TIP in Israel. 
 
-- Is any additional information available from such reports 
or surveys that was not available last year? 
 
GOI contacts say there are no updates of previous government 
reports or surveys. 
 
¶E.  If the country is a destination point for trafficked 
victims, what kind of conditions are the victims trafficked 
into?  What methods are used to ensure their compliance?  Are 
the victims subject to violence, threats, withholding of 
their documents, debt bondage etc.? 
 
Sex Trafficking: According to the GOI, the number of brothels 
has decreased, so most victims recently trafficked for 
prostitution now work in apartments and escort agencies, 
although the Hotline for Migrant Workers, which visits 
detained women in prison on a regular basis, reports that 
many women still work in brothels.  In apartments, usually 
two women live together.  Each woman services an average of 
five to seven clients a day, according to the GOI.  NGOs say 
that traffickers and pimps threaten the lives and safety of 
victims, as well as of relatives the victims have left in 
their countries of origin.  Many brothels have barred windows 
and other security measures to prevent escape.  Reports from 
NGOs and the GOI indicate that when trafficking victims are 
permitted to leave the premises, they are usually under the 
supervision of the pimp or his associates.  In those cases 
where the victims are allowed to leave the brothel, the fact 
that they do not speak Hebrew, combined with the threats 
against their families, deters them from going to the police. 
 
 
Labor Trafficking: Trafficked workers in Israel are 
frequently exposed to abuses or violations of their rights, 
according to GOI and NGO sources, which may include having 
their passports withheld, lack of appropriate lodging, not 
being paid minimum wage, deceptive work conditions or no work 
at all.  Press reports exist of beatings and physical abuse 
of those workers who try to leave the workplace or find 
alternate employment.  Such abuse reportedly is sometimes 
carried out in front of other workers as a deterrent. 
Reports indicate that some employers withhold a portion of 
workers' salaries as a guarantee that the workers will comply 
with employer demands.  NGOs also report that some foreign 
home health care workers have been raped or pressed to 
provide sexual favors by their employers. 
 
¶F.  Is the country a country of origin?  Which populations 
are targeted by traffickers?  Who are the traffickers?  What 
methods are used to approach victims?  What methods are used 
to move the victims? 
 
Israel is not a country of origin, according to the GOI and 
NGOs, and available evidence supports this claim.  Although 
some press reports have claimed that Israeli women are being 
trafficked to Japan to work in the sex industry, these appear 
to be isolated cases, and the women allegedly deny being 
trafficked.  The GOI says it received reports of three such 
cases during 2004, at least one of which appeared to be a 
trafficking case for prostitution to England, and one of 
which was an attempted trafficking case, in which the 
potential victim declined the employment offer.  No further 
details were available as the cases are still pending 
investigation. 
 
¶G.  Is there political will at the highest levels of 
government to combat trafficking in persons?  Is the 
government making a good faith effort to seriously address 
trafficking?  In broad terms, what resources is the host 
government devoting to combating trafficking in persons? 
 
The government continued to demonstrate political will to 
fight TIP by building on steps it took against TIP in 
previous years.  In August 2002, the government decided to 
strengthen its military deployment along the border with 
Egypt in order to prevent the illegal entry of persons, 
including trafficking victims, into Israel.  In support of 
this commitment, the Ramon Unit of the Border Police was 
established in 2003.  It successfully interdicted attempts to 
traffic 43 women into Israel in 2004.   Also in 2003, GOI 
representatives told the Knesset committee on sex trafficking 
that they wanted to see Israel removed from the State 
Department TIP list.  The Criminal Organizations Bill, which 
became law on June 17, 2003, has facilitated the prosecution 
and punishment of key members of several organized TIP 
operations, according to the GOI. 
NOTE: Prior year reports detail further evidence of GOI 
determination to fight TIP.  END NOTE. 
 
During 2004, the GOI continued its good faith and 
collaborative efforts to fight TIP, according to NGOs and the 
GOI.  For example, in a goodwill gesture, the Israeli State 
Attorney's office has issued guidelines to state prosecutors 
to waive court fees for civil suits brought by trafficking 
victims.  On December 29, the State Attorney convened a 
meeting with his staff attorneys and all District Attorneys 
to consider ways of expediting adjudication of the volume of 
trafficking cases, such as by having single judges preside 
over the cases, rather than three-judge panels.  Currently, 
only three three-judge panels operate in Tel Aviv and a 
similarly small number operate in other jurisdictions.  The 
Parliamentary Inquiry Committee looking into issues of TIP 
was made a permanent committee during 2004.  This committee 
actively reviews new legislation.  In 2004, it discussed a 
comprehensive law to forbid all forms of trafficking and that 
would be more comprehensive than current laws.  As a result 
of this process, the committee expects to submit a draft 
comprehensive law to the Knesset in April 2005.  The 
committee also reviewed several pieces of legislation, e.g., 
a law to enable the closure of brothels, and drafted several 
bills, such as: a law granting national health insurance to 
victims of trafficking, a witness protection law covering 
witnesses who are not Israeli citizens or residents, and a 
law to postpone the deportation of trafficking victims. 
 
During 2004, cooperation between government agencies and NGOs 
working on the TIP issue improved and expanded.  The Minister 
of Justice, for example, declared his willingness to work 
with NGOs to combat TIP at a conference of NGOs in August, 
¶2004.  He published an op-ed piece on trafficking in 
conjunction with the conference. 
 
Israeli authorities also took action against officials in 
cases related to trafficking.  A police officer who solicited 
sexual favors from a trafficked woman from the former Soviet 
Union and threatened her with arrest and deportation was 
indicted, and his trial was scheduled to begin in February 
¶2005.  In another case, the Tel Aviv District Attorney's 
office began investigating a police officer who allegedly 
tried to extort payment from trafficked prostitutes in 
exchange for ignoring their illegal status.  The case is now 
pending. 
 
¶H.  Do governmental authorities or individual members of 
government forces facilitate or condone trafficking or are 
they otherwise complicit in such activities?  If so, at what 
levels?  Do government authorities receive bribes from 
traffickers or otherwise assist in their operations?  What 
punitive measures, if any, have been taken against those 
individuals complicit or involved in trafficking?  Please 
provide numbers, as applicable, of government officials 
involved, accused, investigated, prosecuted, convicted and 
sentenced. 
 
No evidence exists of involvement of high or mid-level GOI 
officials in trafficking.  Over the last five years, the 
Department for Investigation of Police Officers has been 
operating an Exposure Unit, which conducts investigations 
that require intelligence deployment and long-term undercover 
activity.  Among the issues handled by this unit are cases 
where police officers are involved directly or indirectly in 
trafficking in persons, or accepting sexual and non-sexual 
bribes from the operators of brothels and/or prostitutes. 
 
During 2004, the Department of Investigation of Police 
Officers in the Ministry of Justice received 45 complaints 
against police officers filed by foreign workers.  All of 
these were thoroughly investigated, according to the GOI, and 
where evidence of the commission of an offense was found, 
criminal charges were filed against the accused.  NGO 
representatives dispute the government's assertion that these 
complaints were thoroughly investigated, saying that the 
majority of the cases were closed prior to any formal 
investigation.  They said they are aware of only two cases in 
which police officers were criminally charged in 2004. 
 
The GOI could not provide information on the number of 
officers formally charged from this group, but confirmed that 
no cases were brought for trafficking offenses per se. 
 
One noteworthy case is The State of Israel vs. Renato Saban. 
The indictment was filed on August 4, 2004 in the Magistrate 
Court of Tel Aviv-Jaffa against a former inspector in the law 
division in the Foreign Workers Department of the Ministry of 
Industry, Trade and Labor.  The indictment included five 
charges of acceptance of a bribe, and charges of fraud, 
breach of trust, disruption of legal proceedings, 
exploitation, threats, sexual harassment and forcible 
indecent acts. 
 
¶I.  What are the limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem?  For example, is funding for police or 
other institutions inadequate?  Is overall corruption a 
problem?  Does the government lack the resources to aid 
victims? 
 
Official corruption is not a widespread problem in Israel. 
Financial and human resources available to combat TIP are 
limited, in part due to the ongoing security threat and 
developments with the Palestinians, according to GOI sources. 
 Funding for police and law enforcement is generally 
adequate, according to police sources.  NGOs, however, 
believe that the GOI could increase funding for the 
prevention of TIP in the country.  As one NGO representative 
said, "Israel is a developed country and can re-allocate 
funds."  She pointed specifically to the failure of the GOI 
to fund the position of the GOI TIP coordinator.  Note: the 
GOI is making strenuous efforts at budget reform, including 
adherence to budget deficit commitments agreed to as part of 
the U.S. loan guarantees package. 
 
¶J.  To what extent does the government systematically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts and periodically make available, 
publicly or privately and directly or through 
regional/international organizations, its assessments of 
these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The Ministry of Justice requests that the relevant government 
ministries report on their anti-trafficking efforts.  The 
Ministry of Justice then compiles the information in 
consolidated, detailed form and shares it with U.S. Embassy 
personnel in preparation for the State Department TIP report. 
 The Knesset Permanent Inquiry Committee, chaired by Za'hava 
Gal-On, also regularly addresses TIP issues and developments 
in a public forum.  In addition, the press frequently 
publishes stories on trafficking and prostitution and cites 
government sources. 
 
¶K.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
 
Prostitution is not prohibited by law, nor is it expressly 
legalized. 
 
-- Are the activities of the brothel owner/operator, clients, 
pimps and enforcers criminalized? 
 
While the activities of the prostitute are not criminalized, 
the activities of the brothel owner/operator, pimps and 
enforcers are criminalized.  The activities of the client are 
not criminalized.  The following is a list of relevant 
sections of the penal code and the maximum punishments. 
 
Section 199 and 199(b) - Pandering for the purpose of 
prostitution: five years imprisonment and seven years when 
the victim is a spouse or child. 
 
Section 201 - Causing a person to perform an act of 
prostitution: five years imprisonment. 
 
Section 202 - Causing a person to engage in prostitution: 
seven years imprisonment. 
 
Section 203(b) - Causing a person to engage in prostitution 
under aggravated circumstances: 16 years imprisonment. 
 
Section 204 - Maintaining a place for the purpose of 
prostitution: five years imprisonment. 
 
-- If prostitution is legal and regulated, what is the legal 
minimum age for this activity? 
 
Prostitution is not expressly legalized and regulated, but is 
not prohibited by law, regardless of age. 
---------- 
Prevention 
---------- 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in that country? 
 
The government acknowledges that sex trafficking is a problem 
in the country.  In contrast to prior years, the GOI now 
acknowledges that labor trafficking exists in the country, as 
detailed in its report to the Embassy on trafficking and in 
public hearings of the Knesset Committee on Foreign Workers. 
Towards that end, the GOI has decided to implement a new 
system of employing foreign workers, the aim of which is to 
reduce trafficking.  For the first time, the Knesset is 
considering legislation to prohibit all forms of trafficking, 
including for labor.  Currently, only trafficking for the 
purpose of prostitution is prohibited. 
 
¶B.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The Counseling and Legislation Department in the Ministry of 
Justice; the Foreign Workers Department in the Ministry of 
Industry, Trade and Labor; the Crime Unit in the Immigration 
Administration; and the Population Registry in the Ministry 
of the Interior are the main agencies involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts.  The National Police are also 
involved in these efforts. 
 
¶C.  Are there or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking public information or public education 
campaigns? 
 
The government has undertaken several public education 
campaigns as detailed below: 
 
-- Labor trafficking: A brochure setting out all the labor 
rights of foreign workers in Israel was published on the 
website of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor in 
Hebrew in the summer of 2004 and in English in January 2005. 
The Immigration Administration has also issued in 14 
languages a revised version of the detainee's rights brochure 
that targets trafficking victims. 
 
-- Sex Trafficking: In December 2004, the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, 
NGOs and civil society activists, began an information 
campaign in source countries of TIP for the purpose of 
prostitution. 
 
The MFA printed brochures in Russian warning of the dangers 
of TIP that are currently being distributed by Israeli 
embassies and consulates in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, 
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other source countries.  The MFA 
also in 2004 began including information on TIP in training 
programs for diplomats who will be posted abroad in source 
countries. 
 
The Ministry of Justice website has posted descriptions of 
TIP, of efforts to combat TIP, and of characteristics of and 
approaches used by persons usually involved in these 
activities.  The MOJ placed notices explaining how to access 
this information in the widest-circulation Israeli newspapers 
on August 31, 2004.  This program targets the demand for 
trafficking by attempting to educate potential clients. 
 
¶D.  Does the government support other programs to prevent 
trafficking? 
 
The Government does not currently support other programs to 
prevent trafficking. 
 
¶E.  Is the government able to support prevention programs? 
 
Israel has a modern economy and stable government revenue 
structure, marked by heavy security expenditures, a broad 
social welfare apparatus, and, until recently, sluggish 
economic growth.  The Government claims that it has limited 
resources to allocate to any TIP prevention programs and 
would have difficulty supporting them. 
¶F.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
-- Labor Trafficking: The director of the Department of 
Foreign Workers in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor 
meets periodically with representatives of trafficking NGOs, 
and the ministry's enforcement division investigates 
complaints filed by such organizations.  The Immigration 
Administration claims that it has been working closely since 
its inception with NGOs to investigate allegations made by 
these organizations, an assessment that NGO representatives 
dispute.  Representatives of the NGO the Hotline for Migrant 
Workers say that complaints that they submit are rarely 
investigated, or receive only superficial and minimal 
attention.  The GOI says the commander of the Immigration 
Administration met several times with representatives of NGOs 
during the year, which NGOs confirmed.  NGO representatives 
lectured during the year to members of the police, including 
investigators. 
 
-- Sex Trafficking:  The de facto GOI interagency coordinator 
on trafficking, Rochelle Gershoni of the MOJ, met numerous 
times with NGO representatives to discuss ways of working 
together more effectively and to share information. 
 
¶G.  Does the government adequately monitor its borders? 
 
The GOI exercises strict control and supervision of its 
borders due to security concerns.  The Ramon Unit of the 
Border Police has been active in patrolling along the Egypt 
border, which GOI officials say is the principal route for 
smuggling TIP victims into Israel for the sex industry. 
Since its establishment in March 2003, the Ramon Unit has 
prevented attempts to smuggle into Israel drugs, weapons and 
persons who intend to work as prostitutes.  The GOI reported 
that during 2004 the Ramon Unit of the Border Police 
interdicted 43 female trafficking victims who were attempting 
to pass into Israel. 
 
-- Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking? 
 
Both the Ministry of the Interior and the Immigration 
Administration compile data on immigration/emigration 
patterns and trends, which they share with police 
intelligence and Border Police officials. 
 
Do law enforcement agencies respond appropriately to such 
evidence? 
 
Police intelligence officials (who compile evidence based on 
their monitoring of immigration/emigration patterns for 
evidence of TIP) report that they work closely with the 
Border Police to combat trafficking efforts. 
 
¶H.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, such as a multi-agency working 
group or a task force?  Does the government have a 
trafficking in persons task force?  Does the government have 
a public corruption task force? 
 
No task forces exist on corruption or trafficking, but the de 
facto coordinator on TIP, Rochelle Gershoni, a lawyer with 
the Ministry of Justice, serves as an inter-agency liaison, 
disseminating information among the different agencies and 
persons involved in fighting trafficking. 
 
¶I.  Does the government coordinate with or participate in 
multinational or international working groups or efforts to 
prevent, monitor or control trafficking? 
 
-- Labor Trafficking: During 2004, the government negotiated 
with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to 
supervise the placement of foreign workers in Israel to 
ensure that no illegal fees are collected by manpower 
agencies, an issue that has been an ongoing problem.  The 
details of this proposal are still under discussion.  IOM 
also began a pilot program in 2004 in the nursing care field 
to determine how effectively such supervision by IOM would 
work, with a view to expanding the program to cover 
supervision of employment of other foreign workers. 
 
-- Sex Trafficking: The Israeli police work closely with 
Interpol to combat trafficking, and work cooperatively with 
several foreign governments.  For example, the Israeli police 
undertook cooperative work with Russian police in 2004.  The 
joint effort resulted in the arrest in Russia of the head of 
a network that was trafficking women.  This man is in the 
midst of extradition procedures, and nine witnesses 
reportedly are prepared to testify. 
 
¶J.  Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were 
involved in developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the 
process?  What steps has the government taken to disseminate 
the national plan? 
 
-- Sex Trafficking: Although various governmental offices 
have taken initiatives to address TIP, these steps are not 
part of a formalized "national plan."  The GOI claims, 
however, that recommendations issued by the Inter-Ministerial 
Committee in 2002 form an ad hoc national plan.  These 
recommendations include initiating a public 
awareness/information campaign, conducting study and training 
sessions on TIP for law enforcement and government officials, 
and closing down business premises where victims of 
trafficking are frequently housed and employed. 
 
-- Labor Trafficking: The Government says that several 
decisions by the Attorney General form the basis for a 
national plan to combat labor trafficking.  NGOs aver that 
while these are laudable efforts, they do not constitute a 
"national plan" as such.  These decisions include: 1) The 
hiring of an attorney by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and 
Labor to coordinate investigations of serious labor 
infractions for foreign workers and to cancel the employment 
permits of any employer found to have committed such 
violations;  2) The decision to hire a jurist as an ombudsman 
for foreign workers' rights within the Ministry of Industry 
Trade and Labor;  3) Amending section 66 of the Employment 
Service Law to raise the penalty for collecting illegal 
recruitment fees from foreign workers.  No legislation passed 
in 2004 regarding labor trafficking, although a comprehensive 
bill to prohibit all forms of trafficking is now being 
drafted and will be introduced in the Knesset in April 2005. 
 
¶K.  Is there some entity or person responsible for developing 
anti-trafficking programs within the government? 
 
Rochelle Gershoni, head of the Criminal Division of the 
Department of Legislation and Legal Counsel in the Ministry 
of Justice, is the de facto TIP coordinator for the 
government.  The government decided to appoint her as the 
official coordinator, but she resigned that position in 
September 2004 after the government failed to fund the 
position.  She continues, however, to coordinate GOI work on 
trafficking issues unofficially. 
 
 
 
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