An IDF reservist who fought in Gaza and Lebanon was detained for hours at Prague’s international airport and denied entry to the Czech Republic after authorities claimed France had issued a “criminal alert” against him — even though he has never set foot in the country.
The man, who traveled to Prague for vacation with his wife after months of reserve duty, said that he was “treated like a criminal” and ultimately forced to return to Israel after a 15-hour ordeal that ended with the couple paying for their own return tickets and losing their planned holiday.
“I can’t get answers from anyone,” he said. “I don’t understand why we’re being deported or what I supposedly did that led to this kind of ‘warning’ against me.”
The incident began around 9 p.m. Tuesday when four armed police officers approached the couple during passport control at Václav Havel Airport and informed them that the man was not permitted to enter the country. After prolonged questioning, officials explained that the alert originated from France, which had issued a Schengen-wide warning blocking his entry into all participating European Union states.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed it had intervened but said the reason for the denial remains unclear and that it was not related to the man’s military service.
The traveler said Czech officials told him the French warning accused him of involvement in “serious crimes.” “They said maybe it’s because of my reserve service or that someone stole my identity and used it to commit crimes,” he said. “I’ve never even been to France.”
The Czech authorities reportedly told him that only France could lift the alert — until then, he was barred from entering any Schengen-area country.
Throughout the night and into Wednesday morning, the couple tried to contact the Israeli Embassy in Paris for help. They only managed to reach a local consul after obtaining his direct number. “The emergency line that’s supposed to help Israelis abroad didn’t answer until around 9 a.m.,” the man said. “The consul tried to assist, but no one in the French police seemed eager to help or clarify anything. We were stuck at the airport all night until we finally bought tickets home.”
The bizarre case has raised concerns among Israelis traveling in Europe about potential bureaucratic errors or misuse of international databases, leaving the man with a mystery he has yet to solve.