It is quite difficult to get into Israel these days. If you are already here - you can stay. But if you are not and don't have an Israeli passport and want to get in you have a problem.
One way to get in is with a student visa. So what some people did was claim to be going to Yeshiva when in fact they were not. In other words - they lied [and in some cases they were caught].
This is Avoda Zara. They are serving a god who wants them to get into Israel with a lie. But the True G-d's signature is TRUTH [Shabbos 55b]. He HATES lies [Rashi Yoma 69b ד"ה שהוא אמתי]. There are 4 groups that the שכינה will not receive [Sanhedrin 103b]. One of them is כת השקרנים - Liars. The שכינה wants to have NOTHING to do with them and in addition their pants will go on fire [מקור - nursery rhyme].
The Maharal writes in the Netiv HaTochacha [located in the section next to his "Netiv Aryeh"]:
כת שקרנים דבר זה ידוע כי אין מציאות לדבר שקר כלל ולפיכך כת שקרנים אין רואה פני שכינה.
Sheker is a non-reality so if that is their world they have no point of contact with the שכינה.
So if they lie they are not serving the True G-d but an imaginary one.
That is Avoda Zara.
