Knesset fumes as online shopping floods mailroom

Lawmakers and Knesset workers will have to stand in line at the post office like everyone else after the Knesset guard announced Wednesday that it would no longer screen packages from online shopping websites that come to the parliament’s mailroom.

Online shopping has surged in popularity in Israel, putting a burden on the whole postal service, but the Knesset poses a special problem with all packages having to be screened by security for bombs and other threats.

“Recently, there has been a significant rise in received mail items and personal packages in the Knesset post office from sites such as eBay and Ali Express,” it said. “Processing the items poses a significant burden on inspections and Knesset security.”

Beginning on October 31, the Knesset will send back all items received from these shopping giants, the Knesset Guard warned.

The three-month warning was designed to allow the orders that had already been placed from abroad to arrive, it said.

“This letter astounds me because during my 11 years in Knesset, I’ve made several orders from abroad and it never occurred to me to put the Knesset address down,” said Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich, who shared the letter on social media. “It’s insane,” she added.