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Israel to issue 'world's most secure passport'
Itamar Eichner
Published: 04.05.11, 14:47
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1. "Israel to issue world most secured passport"
Gregg ,   Haifa, IL   (05.04.11)
Welcome to Israel !! Just a few years late....
2. Will these passports and i.d. cards be
jason white ,   afula, israel   (05.04.11)
unreadable to others. Or will i.d. thieves be able to read them with the proper equipment like they can steal your cellphone memory,even when the phone is off. Can they be read like an RFID from a distance. How much will this cost us? I just renewed my passport last June.How much will the government bleed us this time? They do not do anything for us without us paying a lot.
3. Its the ID card that concerns me not the passport
zionist forever   (05.04.11)
The current Israeli passport might not be a fancy biometric one but its still not easy to forge unless your a specialist at forging passports and your average terrorist or criminal is not going to be worrying about having a forged passport so there is no real urgency there. The ID card is another matter for those that don't know its an oversized thing so it wont fit in a wallet and you have to make a special effort to carry it seprerately. Its a piece of paper with your name, parents details, ID number, Then there is a passport style photograph which has been glued on and then the whole thing is laminated. The lamination starts to weaken over time and so it can crack causing the photograph to fall out of place. Any decent forger could forge one of those things and so much relies in this card. You want to open a bank account, collect something from the post office and a whole load of other things rely ion you showing this card. Its a joke. The passports might not be smart ones but they have changed to become harder to forge over the years. I doubt the basic ID card has changed in style in decades and considering they are considered trustworthy government documents thats a worry.
4. just wait...
tal   (05.04.11)
next thing is implants under the skin.
5. Controversial law
Logic ,   Israel   (05.04.11)
I recall that several professors and MKs were against this law due to privacy issues. A biometric passport is one thing - but biometric database is a whole separate issue. An identical law would not pass in America, that's for sure.
6. To Tal #4
Gregg ,   Haifa, IL   (05.04.11)
Funny... I was just mentioning this to a friend of mine yesterday !
7. My British passport had this years ago, includes mini GPS
Judy ,   London / Tel Aviv   (05.04.11)
if lost. I will of course get this new Israeli passport too.
8. What about the handprint 'passport'
Talula ,   Israel   (05.04.11)
I never use my passport when I leave Israel for business or holidays, I opt for the quicker hand scan using my card - I wonder if that will still be in use. I hope so!
9. Um, #3, you better check that. Teudat zehut is easy to forge
Brian Cohen ,   Judean Peoples Front   (05.04.11)
From what I've heard, forging an existing Israeli ID card is easy. For years, there's been a demand by all sorts of organizations to fix the problem, and it looks like this is finally it. maybe. Cuz, ya know, as much as I'd like to rely on bureacrats in misrad hapnim, like, ya know, well, it's misrad hapnim. Not as bad as bituach leumi, but still bad...
10. Misrad Hapnim should be well ...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (05.04.11)
organised,so that people do not need to wait hours for their new passports.
11. Biometric passports are unsecure
R in Tel Aviv ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (05.04.11)
Meanwhile this week Dutch parliament has ordered the deletion of all filed fingerprints (6 milion had so far been obtained for the biometric passports) for security reasons. Journalists better start asking the right questions, instead of simply copying government propaganda to try and strike a chauvinist chord with their readers ("the best in the world"... sigh...). The biometric passport saga contains many rotten chapters across the world. Do your job and prevent a disaster in Israel too.
12. I'm due to renew mine next year.
Noodles ,   Coney Island   (05.04.11)
Or will I have to do it earlier? The article seemed a little vague on the subject.
13. #4 & #6
ADI ,   Haifa, Israel   (05.04.11)
To Tal and Greg. Me too but what is so bad about a chip under your skin? You will never foget it at home, lose or misplace it: no one can steal it from you; it wont peel open or break. My dogs have them. I go to any vet and he can access their medical records. They are easier to find if lost and I cannot dump them if I don't want them any more. The only issue is the security of an induvidual's privacy at the database. Up for barcodes on the neck.
14. 5
zionist forever   (05.04.11)
I also worry about the idea of a central government database. With so much information in one place. So much information in one place makes a very tempting target for criminals and enemy state wanting to cause disruption. In the UK under Tony Blair they wanted biometirc ID cards & passports until it was deemed to expensive ( many billions of pounds ) the experts said the technology wasn't perfect. Israel will be using the same basic technology & it would also cost billions, you cant do this on the cheap Where does the money come from? Who has access to all this information, will it be limited to a select few or will every street cop be allowed to check it out & is there any kind of supervision that the courts could provide? Will we be told exactly will be on this database & cardalso what does short range communications mean? There is a need to upgrade the ID card because the security of the current one is a joke. Even that though can be done cheaply without the need for biometrics. Have some personal information on a chip which the cops can read and thats it no need for fancy biometrics and cheaper for taxpayers.
15. and the police state grows stronger
Yos   (05.04.11)
16. 9 & 10
zionist forever   (05.04.11)
There are much easier way of doing things rather than the damn Misrad Hapanim I don't know why they are not adopted here. In the UK if you want a passport you go to the local post office fill in a form, include the picture & there are photograph machines there send it all off. If you want to renew your passport just send in the old one with the form. No need to spend the day in a large centre just go to your local post office anywhere in the country take you 15 minutes from walking in - walking out. Much cheaper because we don't need as many Misrad Hapanim offices and they will have a smaller work load. Where is the logic in this country?
17. okay...as long as they don't put chip in me - "tom match the
Au. ,   Jerusalem   (05.04.11)
...LOL
18. Israel to issue 'world's most secure passport' ,...
split ,   US   (05.04.11)
Why, is there anyone who would like to steal and use it as a travel ID if not masochist or suicidal ?
19. #18 how true
wim ,   ge   (05.04.11)
in the list of desirable passports Israel ranks somewhere with Iran and North Korea.....
20. #1 Gregg Haifa
BEN JABO ,   ISRAEL   (05.04.11)
Which country preceded Israel in issuing these types of passports The U.S. is still working on theirs Anyway, better late then never
21. #15 Yos - That's the way of the world
BEN JABO ,   ISRAEL   (05.04.11)
Nowadays, security is Paramount I don't think you want some hostile person sitting near you or yours Or would you prefer the German method, tatoo on the arm as I.D. ?
22. #16 split/schizo/wes
BEN JABO ,   ISRAEL   (05.04.11)
You're such a moron !! It would enable them to infiltrate Israeli positions or Embassies Of course, you wouldn't steal one, you're too much of a coward to do so
23. My present ID says Yehudi
Israeli ,   Israel   (05.04.11)
I don't want to change it for one that reads Israeli
24. Israel years behind world
Israeli 2   (05.04.11)
What a downer!!
25. #16
A Jerusalemite ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (05.04.11)
Sure it is easier to get a passport in the UK or in the USA. Here we can't do it by post for one simple reason: We are still a nation in a state of war with a couple of our neighbours. That doesn't even consider the number of terrorists that would just LOVE to be able to get an Israeli passport by mail!
26. #7 science fiction dreamer
yoni ,   tel aviv   (05.04.11)
your passport does not have a gps tracker unless you are talking about your startrek passport
27. Useful for those who want to go to 'Dubai'
Roland seener ,   London England   (05.04.11)
28. 1.
birdi ,   israel   (05.04.11)
its bettter later than never.
29. 12
birdi ,   israel   (05.04.11)
dont panic. more info will follow. you will be able to get info from the consulate.
30. the new passport is so secure
Tomek ,   Poland   (05.04.11)
that even Israel will not be able to forge it. I know, lame, but I couldn't help it.
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