U.S. Upgrades Israel to Tier 1 in Anti-Trafficking Report

The U.S. State Department upgraded Israel to Tier 1 in its 2026 trafficking report, concluding that it fully meets minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. Police investigated 42 cases in 2025, compared with 20 in 2024, while funding for victim protection and labor-inspector numbers increased. The report credits dedicated anti-trafficking police units in Tel Aviv, Center and Haifa, and bilateral worker agreements with 16 governments, including new agreements with Sri Lanka and Cambodia. It also identifies remaining gaps: no forced-labor convictions and fewer formally recognized victims, 90 compared with 115 in the previous reporting period.