I found this quote interesting: "American standards, with which the iPad does comply, allow for lower wireless power levels than do the European standards. Because of this, Haaretz quotes unnamed ministry officials as saying, "the broadcast levels of the [iPad] prevent approving its use in Israel.""
Why would they be concerned about lower broadcast levels? Do lower levels make it more difficult to detect and monitor (i.e. listen in on) the signals from the iPad?
I've heard two explanations, one non-cynical and one cynical.
The non-cynical answer is that Israeli bureaucrats are merely being pedantic. The iPad uses a less powerful WiFi signal than what the law requires, but it does not have an Israeli wireless certification, and they don't care why it doesn't have the certification--they simply won't permit it until it does, reasons be damned.
The cynical explanation is that the Israeli government monitors wireless devices of all types very closely, looking for both illicit communications from potential terrorists and for wireless signals that could be used to remote-trigger bombs--and that the lower power output from the iPad makes it more difficult to monitor.
