Israel bans the Apple iPad, confiscates it on sight

If you are one of the more than 500,000 people with your hands on an iPad and traveling to Israel, well...don't bring it there. 

Citing the iPad's non-compliance with European wireless standards, the Israel Communications Ministry has apparently instructed Israeli customs to confiscate any Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad that enters the country. The short answer: The FCC allows Wi-Fi devices to broadcast at higher power levels than allowable with European standards, which Israel adheres to.

Nati Schubert, senior deputy director for the Communications Ministry told the Associated Press, "If you operate equipment in a frequency band which is different from the others that operate on that frequency band, then there will be interference."

Some 10 iPads have apparently already been confiscated to date, and will be returned when their owners leave--or if they opt to ship their devices out at their own expense. A daily storage fee is imposed for the former option. So far, Israel is the only country to ban the import of the U.S. iPad. Is this a case where the iPad has become a victim of its own success?

Article by Paul Mah at  .