Israeli Soldier Charged for Entering Enemy States Using Foreign Passport

Lior Matan Weinstein, a 27-year-old Israeli soldier from Givatayim holding Romanian citizenship, has been charged for illegally entering Middle Eastern countries that prohibit Israeli nationals. Weinstein renewed his Romanian passport, purchased a Romanian SIM card and a new phone to conceal his Israeli identity before traveling. According to the indictment filed by Senior Deputy Attorney Ariela Navon in the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor's Office, Weinstein first entered the Kurdistan region of Iraq in August 2023, stayed for two days, and returned in December 2023. Between late January and early February 2024, he stayed in Yemen and subsequently entered Saudi Arabia for two days. These countries forbid entry to Israelis without proper authorization from the Interior Minister or Prime Minister. Weinstein admitted to the charges and was convicted after the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court lifted a publication ban on the case earlier this week. The prosecution emphasized the public interest in clarifying the criminal implications of entering prohibited countries under Israeli law.