The Ministry took the decision because apparently the ministry’s engineering staff could not find a means to test the iPad’s compatibility with Israel’s wireless networks.
According to a newspaper statement: "The iPad device sold exclusively today in the United States operates at broadcast power levels [over its WiFi modem] compatible with American standards. As the Israeli regulations in the area of WiFi are similar to European standards, which are different from American standards, which permit broadcasting at lower power, therefore the broadcast levels of the device prevent approving its use in Israel."
The Israeli customs already confiscated a man’s iPad placing it a customs warehouse. To get the iPad back, the man will have to apply to the Israeli government to have it shipped back to the U.S.
In an announcement, Apple stated that it has sold 500,000 of the tablets since its April 3 debut, and due to the increased domestic demand, the company decided to delay international sales for one month, until the end of May.