Israel unbans Apple iPad
Tablet's Wi-Fi judged good
Israel's Communications Ministry will no longer demand incoming citizens and visitors hand over their iPads.
The move, announced this past weekend, comes two weeks after the Ministry banned the import of iPads because it believed the device defied European wireless standards.
Confiscated iPads - and we can't think there are too many of them - can now be collected from customs officials at Ben-Gurion airport, local newspaper Haaretz reports.
The Ministry said that since imposing the ban, its staff had tested the Apple tablet's wireless sub-system and found them good.
And there was much rejoicing. ®
COMMENTS
Because...
...Israel may be physically in the Middle East, but its trade relationships are with Europe, North America, the Far East and India.
Because
Israel has a free-trade agreement between itself and Europe for certain goods.
And as Europe already has quite a few regulations written and agreed between the member states, it's probably just easiest for them to use those ones rather than write their own - especially since they would need to comply with the EU ones anyway.
Chances are that if someone brings an iPad into Israel, then sells it to someone in the EU, then Israel may be in breach of the agreement in some way. TBH, it looks like a complete over-reaction from the authorities, but we don't know what may be going on in negotiations - and given the recent forged passport row, it's entirely possible that they don't want the diplomatic boat rocked too much, especially over something so trivial.
@Pieface
If I'm not mistaken, the Israelian wifi regulations are equivalent to the EU regs, so if it (supposedly) doesn't meet EU regs, it won't meet Israelian regs either.
And if it doesn't meet the Israelian's regulations, they won't let you bring it into the country.
Europe?
Israel is in Europe?
Why would they give two hoots about EU standards, all the way out in the middle East?
