Israel’s crackdown on prostitution has collapsed, watchdog warns

Israel’s state comptroller has found a dramatic decline in enforcement action against prostitution since the country passed new legislation in 2020, raising concerns about vulnerable young people being exploited. The report revealed that in Jerusalem, the Southern Region and Northern Region, authorities accumulated information on hundreds of suspected locations involved in sex work, yet imposed zero fines. The comptroller’s office estimates that between 3,000 and 5,000 minors are currently involved in prostitution across the country. The findings suggest that despite the legal framework being in place, implementation has effectively stalled. According to the report, a single officer was assigned to the human trafficking unit at national police headquarters, severely limiting the capacity to investigate and prosecute offences. Comptroller Matanyahu Englman criticised what he described as inadequate measures to protect victims of exploitation. The weakness in enforcement is particularly concerning given international scrutiny of Israel’s efforts to combat human trafficking, with poor performance potentially triggering sanctions under global trafficking protocols. The comptroller has called for immediate reinforcement of enforcement mechanisms and victim protection services across the country.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.