Illegal resident detained after using sex offender’s ID card in attempt to cross checkpoint

A man was detained after attempting to enter Israel through the Shuafat refugee camp checkpoint in east Jerusalem using the identity of a sex offender on Sunday.

The incident occured when the man, who did not have legal recourse to enter Israel, arrived at the checkpoint and attempted to identify himself using a photo of an identity card on his mobile phone. The identity card was discovered to belong to a sex offender currently under supervision by the Israel Prison Service’s Tzur Unit and does not live in the area.

The Tzur Unit officers were called to the scene to verify the identity of the man who presented the card and realized that he was not the sex offender, but was illegally trying to enter Israeli territory.

Suspect, sex offender met in prison

Upon questioning, authorities discovered that there was a connection between the man and the sex offender. The two had met while previously serving time in prison and met again in Jerusalem in March.

The man was then detained by Israel Police for further investigation.

The commander of the Israel Prison Service's Tzur Unit, Brig.-Gen. Yehuda Aharoni, said that the incident “demonstrates the vigilance, professionalism, and operational capabilities of the supervision officers of the Israel Prison Service's Tzur Unit, who work day and night to maintain public safety."

According to Aharoni, cooperation with security and law enforcement agencies enables the unit to respond to incidents that fall outside its routine supervision activities.