According to the police, the “couple” was stopped in their vehicle at a crossing between the West Bank and Israel.
An Israeli man and a Palestinian woman from the West Bank were arrested after they pretended to be husband and wife in order to smuggle the woman across the border, the Israel Police stated on Wednesday.
According to the police, the “couple” was stopped in their vehicle at a crossing between the West Bank and Israel on Sunday. They claimed to be married and presented Israeli ID cards. Border security became suspicious, and the two were taken in for interrogation.
During questioning, it was discovered that the woman was a 45-year-old illegal resident from Tulkarm. The driver, a 39-year-old from the North, was presented with conflicting details from his story by interrogators, who eventually elicited his admission and solidified the case against him.
On Wednesday, the driver was indicted for transporting an illegal resident, aiding and abetting impersonation, and additional offenses connected to his actions, the police stated.
Border Police operate against illegal Palestinians on the Palestinian side of the separation barrier in the town of Bir Nabala, January 18, 2026. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
Police crack down on illegal residents
Police have stepped up enforcement against illegal residents, including by cracking down on employers nationwide.
Last week, former Israel Police commissioner Roni Alsheich was questioned under caution on suspicion of employing an illegal resident from the West Bank.
Alsheich told investigators he did not know the worker and said his neighbor was handling contractors for the renovation.
An indictment has already been filed against the illegal resident, while the investigation regarding the former commissioner and his neighbor is ongoing, police said.
Maariv contributed to this report.