Cultural and religious norms kept prostitution a localized and relatively small phenomenon in Israel until rapid globalization during the 1990s facilitated the trafficking of persons. Initially viewed by government authorities as an immigration problem, prostitution is now gaining recognition as a global human rights issue that is an integral part of the international organized crime network.

The history of ancient Greece and Rome demon strates that prostitution was well known in Mediterranean cultures. Discussions in the Bible and Qurʾān also point to pros…