I just bought some chocolates at the TLV Duty Free shop and was told that they have to be put in a sealed bag because I am flying to the States. In fact, EVERYTHING they sell has to be in sealed bags!

It is a new requirement from the US, they told me, and applies to all airlines going there, including El Al (I am flying on Delta).

This was on top of me getting the dreaded SSSS -- for the first time ever in Israel. Here though, they simply brought me to another counter, took my boarding card and passports (US and Israeli), asked me how many bags I had checked, walked away for about 3 minutes and returned the boarding card/passports and wished me a nice flight.

Has this sealed bag stuff (for non-liquids) been happening in other countries or is it special for Israel?