Australian father 'banned from leaving Israel for 8,000 years' under child support law

An Australian citizen has been barred from leaving Israel for almost 8,000 years unless he pays over $3 million (£2.2 million) in future child support payments, according to news reports.

Noam Huppert, 44, has been trapped in the country since 2013 after being handed a 'stay of exit' order by a court after his ex-wife brought a divorce case against him in Israel, news.com.au reported.

Huppert, an analytical chemist for a pharmaceutical company, had moved to Israel in 2012 to be closer to his children, the news outlet said.

Huppert cannot leave the country under any circumstances until 31 December 9999 - 7,986 years' time - unless he pays his assigned 'future debt' of £1,200 per month until both of his children turn 18.

Huppert said he is one of thousands of foreign nationals affected by Israel's divorce law exit ban.

"[Australian citizens have been] persecuted by the Israeli ‘justice’ system only because they were married to Israeli women... I am one of them," Huppert told news.com.au, sharing his experience "to help other Australians".

The US State Department's Israel travel advisory warns its citizens that Israeli civil and religious courts “actively exercise their authority to bar certain individuals, including non-residents, from leaving the country until debts or other legal claims against them are resolved”.

It also warns that the US Embassy “is unable to cancel the debt of a US citizen or guarantee their departure from Israel... until debts are resolved".

The Australian foreign ministry does not mention the issue in its Israel travel advisory, however.