Comptroller: Ineffective enforcement allows for agricultural smuggling between Israel, PA

A series of problems with the conduct of The Central Unit for Enforcement and Investigations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is allowing for the illegal transfer of goods between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a report by the State Comptroller released on Tuesday found.

The problems, which include misconduct as well as improper infrastructure and staffing problems have led to a situation in which it is difficult to prevent smuggling, black market activity, and animal mistreatment, said the report.

Between 2020 and 2022, 92% of the inspectors in the unit did not meet the goals that define whether or not they are completing their job.

The report found that the inspectors in the unit do not have the authority or proper appointments to enforce the laws which the unit is tasked with enforcing, and that 89% of the unit's inspectors makes investigations or detentions without the proper authority.

Between 2018 and 2022 only NIS 23 million worth of fines were given by the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry, said the report.

There is a significant problem in the conduct of the unit's staff

Some 12.5% of workers who are signed on conflict of interest agreements did not abide by them, according to the comptroller's findings. In one example of such a failure, an inspector who is not allowed to deal with cattle in any capacity completed 70 actions relating to cattle, including investigations surrounding cattle.

Between 2001 and June 2023, 54 complaints against unit workers were made about 38% of the workers in the unit, with 39% of the complaints were made against management. Of complaints made, 31% ended in a finding that the complaint was justified and ended in a conviction or disciplinary action.

This misconduct is part of what led the unit's intelligence sub-unit to close and then reopen with an ineffective skeleton team, according to the report. There has been 85% less intelligence collected in 2022 than in 2016, said the report.

Additionally, only 21% of the intelligence gathered between the start of 2022 and mid 2023 was addressed, said the report. Despite the unit dealing with smuggling points in the Seam Line and Bedouin villages, the intelligence sub unit staff do not speak Arabic.

On top of problems with employee conduct, the report found that the crossings through which the produce is sent do not have the proper infrastructure. Additionally, the unit, Israel's Tax Authority, and the Crossing Points Authority do not properly work together and share information.

These failures have led to a situations that is potentially dangerous to public health.

Around 33,000 tons of plant products are imported from the PA, and this constitutes around 1.5% of the plant products consumed in Israel yearly. This produce is passed through one of five checkpoints.

Some 40% of samples taken of plant products taken from the PA had abnormal remnants of pesticides, according to the report. Due to further misconduct, the produce was not held while waiting for test results, and so the products from which faulty samples were taken was brought into Israel and likely made it to markets.

Some 97% of the deliveries of chickens, chicks, and incubated eggs into the PA were not recorded by the unit in 2023.

More than half (57%) of the meat imported to the PA through Israeli ports may not have made it to the PA, said the report. This means it may have ended up on the black market which endangers public health as the meat will be sold without regulation at any stage of the supply chain.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development minister and director general must act to make significant  changes in the unit's priorities, management, work arrangements, and must work to put an end to repeating infractions by employees, the report concluded.