Can an item be modified in a customs warehouse to change its classification?

An individual imported a caravan from the USA to Israel as a personal import, with the intention of using it as a ‘bed and breakfast’, i.e. a guest house or zimmer. The Israeli Customs Authority and the Ministry of Transport refused to release the shipment on the grounds that it was a caravan built to American standards, which are not authorised in Israel. The importer applied to the court for permission to dismantle parts of the caravan prior to customs release, so that it could no longer be transported and would instead be classified as a ‘prefabricated building’, which does not require authorisation. Will the court approve this creative request? Find out more in the overview below, based on a recent Israeli court judgment.