An Australian man has fallen foul of a little-known local law, resulting in him being trapped in Israel until the year 9999.
The Australian citizen, who has been stuck in the country since 2013, says he is one of thousands who has received what is essentially an 8,000-year prison sentence.
Noam Huppert moved to Israel in 2012 to be closer to his two children after his ex-wife returned to the country in 2011 with their then three-month-old and five-year-old.
What followed was a court case, brought about by the mother, which issued a 'stay-of-exit' order against Huppert, unless he pays all child support owed to the mother until the children turn 18.
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Huppert told news.com.au that the total in 2013 worked out to be about $3.34 million. It's unclear whether he could pay the entire sum in advance to lift the order. According to The Guardian, the year 9999 was picked because it was the highest number allowed in the online system.
Huppert says he now cannot leave the country for any reason, including holiday or work, until the sum is paid.
Speaking to news.com.au, he warned other Australians who could experience similar 'persecution' because they were 'married to Israeli women'.
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A 2019 independent documentary, No Exit Order, was made by journalist and activist Marianne Azizi and director Sorin Luca to bring attention to the problem.
She believes there could be 'hundreds' of Australians who are currently dealing with similar issues in the country.
Azizi began looking into the problem when her own husband was trapped in Israel following a visit to see his children.
The No Exit Order documentary accuses Israel of a 'radical feminist agenda' and says the rules in the country are 'draconian' and built to protect mothers and prosecute fathers.
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"The 'No Exit Order' is practically unheard of in the Western World. A travel ban which prevents people from leaving the country," reads the documentary website.
"Fathers in divorce face the inevitability that they will be unable to travel without often depositing child support payments which could be as much as the whole lifetime of the child in advance.
"They are expected to provide guarantors in Israel who will vouch for any payments whilst they are outside of the country. This leaves the majority unable to leave, as few if any people will take on the debts or potential debts of another."
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According to the people behind the documentary, the result of this law is that men are reticent to get divorced and are instead staying in unhappy marriages to avoid the implications of divorce.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy