- Jan. 2010
2 siblings humiliated at airport after false drug accusation
Oren and Mor Guy return from soccer match in Spain, end up in investigation room at Ben-Gurion Airport, naked and banned from visiting lavatories. 'When they saw that they made mistake, they didn't even bother to apologize.' Police: Information received against them
The unpleasant experience Oren and Mor Guy, two siblings from the Sharon-region town of Porat, endured on Thursday at Ben-Gurion Airport will not be forgotten for some time. Authorities claimed they had evidence they were smuggling drugs. However, the police found nothing against them and released the pair.
Oren, 27, and his sister, Mor, 21, left for Spain last week to watch a soccer match. Neither of them has a criminal past or has ever been entangled with the police prior to their return to Ben-Gurion Airport.
"We left about a week ago to see the game between Barcelona and Sevilla, a trip that we planned and ordered a few months ago," said Oren to Ynet. "At first, I was supposed to go with my friend, but he cancelled. So I asked Mor to come with me and she agreed. On the flight back, we switched plains in Istanbul and landed in Ben Gurion at 2:45 am."
This is when problems started for the Guy siblings with the border police. Mor approached the passport control booth, and the officer started examining her passport.
"She took a while and then asked if I'm alone. When I said that my brother is with me, she told me to call him. My brother came, and then they instructed us to stand to the side. Four men and a woman approached us and identified themselves as police officers. They were rude to us and refused to tell us what happened. Afterwards, they took us to the baggage carousel and told us to take our stuff. From there, they took us to a side room. Everything was done in front of dozens of people who were there. Every time we asked what happened, they refused to answer," recounted Mor.
Oren said that when they were escorted into the side room, Mor was left alone with the female cop and was ordered to undress and turn around to face her without clothes on.
"During my investigation, I was also ordered to undress. I asked if it was really necessary that all four of them see me naked, but they didn't respond. When I stood there naked, one of them started to look through my wallet and performed a very slow search. I got angry, and I told him that I'm naked and cold, but he did not care," said Oren.
Only when the search through the siblings' luggage was the pair informed that they were suspected of smuggling drugs.
"They told us that they have confidential information. We explained that we are not involved with drugs, but this didn't help," explained Oren and Mor. "At a certain point, we asked to go to the bathroom, and they did not allow us. I couldn't hold it in, and I peed in front of many people. I shouted at their abuse, and only then did one of the police officers agree to take me to the bathroom. They treated us like criminals."
"Even when it turned out that they were wrong, they didn't even bother apologizing," the siblings said.
The Tel Aviv District Police said in response: "The police received intelligence information about the two, who, according to suspicions, were said to be smuggling drugs. They were detained at Ben-Gurion Airport and were searched.
"The two resisted and cursed the police officers. At a certain point, the police officers allowed them to place a phone call to a family member, but they refused and continued to curse at the officers. At the end of the examinations at the hospital, they were released."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3838088,00.html - 14 juli 2010
Greek airport protest over Gaza blockade delays Israel-bound flight
ATHENS, Greece - An Israel-bound flight was delayed for about two hours at Athens International Airport Wednesday after protesters against the blockade of Gaza blocked check-in counters, airport officials said.
Members of a Communist-backed labour union said they blocked five El Al airline counters for two hours to protest the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the Jewish state's "oppressive policies."
"This was an action taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their effort to establish a Palestinian state," union spokesman Giorgos Pontikos told the AP. He said police were present at the protest but did not intervene.
Wednesday's protest occurred as a Libya-chartered ship carrying aid to the Gaza Strip was due to sail to an Egyptian port to avoid challenging an Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory.
Athens airport officials said El Al flight 542 to Tel Aviv departed from Athens two hours after the scheduled time, at 12:30 (0930GMT) after the protest ended without incident.
http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/1134589
23 aug 2010
Ben-Gurion International Airport: Cancer patients humiliated at airport
Young Israelis' trip to Orlando marred as they are forced to undress after metal implants set off security check's detectors.
The humiliating treatment experienced by cancer patients at Ben-Gurion International Airport darkened a trip that was supposed to help them forget their suffering for a while.
The story began when 36 young people from the north of Israel went on a trip to Orlando, United States, with the aid of the Lev organization which supports children suffering from cancer. They were accompanied by Dr. Monique Peretz-Nahum from the oncology department of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. Reporter Roi Katz also joined the group to make a documentary film about the trip.
About three weeks ago, when they arrived at the airport, they had to undergo security checks just like all other passengers. Peretz-Nahum told the security staff that three of the group had metal implants which were liable to set off the metal detectors.
The three in question, aged 13, 15 and 18, went through the detector, which emitted the warning sound.
"They told us they couldn't go through, and the head of security was called," Peretz-Nahum said. "She came half an hour later, and meanwhile the rest of the group waited on the other side."
At that point a series of humiliations awaited the three young people. Firstly, Peretz-Nahum recounted, they were told to show their surgery scars in front of everyone. Despite their embarrassment, two did as they were asked and showed the security staff their shoulder and leg scars which testified to the metal implants.
The third refused, because he would have had to take off his pants in order to expose his scars. After a discussion, it was agreed that he would do so in a separate room, with the security staff but without the presence of the head of security.
"He asked me to be present, but the security staff wouldn't allow it," said Peretz-Nahum. When he saw he had no choice, he went into the room alone because he didn't want to hold up the rest of his friends.
Thus, after an hour, which could otherwise have been enjoyed in duty free, the group was finally permitted to continue.
Treated with respect abroad
Katz said that in contrast to the way they were treated in Israel, the group was treated with great respect abroad, and when it became known that they were suffering from cancer, they were permitted to enter the Disney World attractions without waiting in line.
At the end of the week they returned to Israel but the humiliation was not forgotten. "I am really angry," said the youth who was compelled to undress. "It was really humiliating."
"It was humiliating and insensitive," Peretz-Nahum said. "Why must they get young cancer sufferers to undress like that in front of everyone? They aren't terrorists. They could have been more sensitive."
"We are responsible for the security of millions of passengers each year, and fulfill our duties according to instructions of state authorities," the Israel Airports Authority responded. "The security staff is required to treat everyone with respect, courtesy and sensitivity. In this case, because of its sensitive character, the head of security was called, and a security check was conducted in a way that respected the passengers and their privacy, with full cooperation from those being checked."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3942212,00.html
5 nov 2010, 02:24 , Respect -
Maria 6 aug 2010
American VIP humiliated at airport
Prof. Donna Shalala, Clinton's secretary of health, arrives in Israel in order to fight academic boycott against Israel, claims she was held at Ben Gurion Airport just because she has Arab last name.
This is not how she imagined her visit to Israel. Prof. Donna Shalala, who served as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services for eight years under Clinton and is currently the president of Miami University, was held for two-and-a-half hours at Ben Gurion Airport during which she underwent a humiliating security debriefing because of her Arab last name all this despite the fact that her hosts notified the airport ahead of time that she is a VIP.
The fact that Shalala arrived in Israel as part of an official delegation of the heads of universities fighting against the academic boycott against the Jewish State also seemed not to help her.
Shalala, 69, was born in the US to Lebanese immigrant parents. She is considered a true friend of Israel and has visited the country many times in the past.
She recently arrived in Israel as a guest of the American Jewish Congress with the objective of increasing collaboration among universities in Israel, the US, and the Palestinian Authority. During their visit, members of the delegation met with President Shimon Peres, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
The official visit ended on July 12, but Shalala stayed on for another two days for a private visit.
The AJC claims that it notified the Israel Airports Authority of Shalala's VIP status as is customary prior to her departure. However, the IAA claims that it has no record on file for Shalala prior to her arrival.
When Shalala arrived at the airport, she was not recognized as a VIP and was even afforded what she claims to be "special" treatment because of her Arab last name. She claims she was held for two-and-a-half hours during which she was asked invasive and humiliating personal questions. Despite the delay, she managed to board the flight to the US. Officials who spoke with her said she was deeply offended by the treatment she received.
An IAA spokesperson reported in response: "This incident is unknown to us. We performed a thorough check. There was no contact made with us or any other body. No unusual events were registered at Ben Gurion Airport, and we have no idea about this incident, which, from our perspective, never happened."
IAA officials said that root of the problem is that the host organizations don't bother accompanying their guests to the airport.
The incident was raised Wednesday during a discussion convened by Deputy Foreign Ministry Ayalon to discuss treatment of VIPs at Ben Gurion Airport. During the discussion, it was agreed that a new protocol will be drafted that will keep incidents to a minimum.
Shalala preferred not to comment on the article.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3931210,00.html
5 nov 2010, 02:31 , Respect -
Maria 4 sept 2010
Palestinian hip-hop artist held at gunpoint in Ben Gurion airport
Shadia Mansour is a British-born Palestinian hip-hop artist who has toured the Middle East, Europe, and the US.
Washington - Shadia Mansour, also known as the "the first lady of Arab hip-hop" was surrounded by eight armed airport security officials and intelligence officers in Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv on September 4, an announcement made available to Palestine note said Thursday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9t1HQcmpzY
Mansour was held in this position in the airport for over one hour, as Israeli officers accused her of having a bomb planted in her microphone. She assured them the microphone was used for music recording though they insisted on asking "who she worked for, who bought the microphone, and what she sings about," the announcement said. Mansour was aggressively strip searched and patted down as other travelers in Ben Gurion that day observed the scene. Her microphone was eventually returned to her and she was allowed to board her London-bound flight.
Incidents such as what Mansour experienced last week are not rare. Donna Shalala, current President of the University of Miami and former Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton, had a similar experience in Ben Gurion airport last month. Shalala was detained for two hours are the airport when visiting Israel as part of a goodwill delegation and to protest the "academic boycott" of Israel. Shalala is of Lebanese descent.
http://bit.ly/9aaZLe
Israel snubs visiting African generals
A delegation of high-ranking African military officials has left an Israeli airport after they were not allowed to visit a military exhibition.
Security checks stopped the generals at the Herzliya airport on Friday, Israeli daily Ynetnews reported.
The generals, who were invited officially, were expected to visit Israeli military equipment.
The Israel Airports Authority said in a statement that it "apologized to the organizers and members of the delegation."
It added that it would investigate the incident.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/141171.html
5 nov 2010, 02:32 , Respect -
Maria 18 oct 2010
Netanyahu: Terrorists in Gaza have anti-aircraft missiles
Speaking at a Likud meeting, PM expresses concern over weapons in the Strip "that can take down an aircraft en route to Ben Gurion airport"; calls settlement building an "artificial obstacle."
Speaking at a Likud meeting Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed concern that aircraft flying near the Gaza Strip may be exposed to anti-aircraft systems.
"Today we are experiencing difficulty flying near the Gaza Strip since they have in their possession anti-aircraft missiles," explained Netanyahu. "Imagine that there are no security arrangements, and there will be missiles that can take down an aircraft that is en route to Ben Gurion airport."
"I heard Abu Mazen's interview yesterday," Netanyahu said in reaction to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's interview to Channel 1 on Sunday. "I would rather talk to him face to face. The interview took place seven minutes from here. A direct conversation can advance the resolution to the conflict."
Netanyahu added that, "the discussion on new [settlement] building is only an artificial obstacle." "Even the Palestinians say that the building is insignificant and barely has an effect on a final-status map," explained the prime minister. "I say it has no impact at all."
Netanyahu continued to say that, "If the Palestinians want to continue the conflict, they can find a way. But if they want to solve it, I have ways of doing it. The security problems are real, so the solutions must be real and not just on paper."
Netanyahu explained that in the framework of negotiations, several subjects must be discussed: Recognition of Israel, rockets being launched from Gaza, the settlements, Jerusalem and the water supply must be addressed in talks with the Palestinians.
"What matters is not the length of the talks, but whether the Palestinians want to solve the conflict," said Netanyahu. "The Palestinians must decide if they want to solve problems. If there is willingness to solve the dispute, it will be solved, but if not, it will not be."
"The Palestinians must compromise with the existence of Israel living in peace with it its neighbors. This would be good for us and for them."
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?ID=191844&R=R1
Netanyahu: Palestinians may target airport
Prime minister warns security arrangements key to any peace deal with Palestinians. 'Imagine if missiles could take down planes on way to airport,' he says, adding that settlement construction is 'artificial barrier'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Likud Party members Monday he feared an agreement with the Palestinians that did not include adequate security arrangements.
"It%u2019s not only a matter of rockets aimed at city centers. Today we are trying not to fly near Gaza because they have anti-aircraft missiles there. Imagine if we did not have security arrangements, and such missiles could take down planes on their way to Ben Gurion International Airport. We need to find long-term solutions," he said.
Netanyahu also commented on an interview Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave to Channel 1. "This talk was held seven minutes away. I must say I would prefer to hold a direct talk with him, one that could promote an agreement. In order to promote an agreement we must overcome artificial barriers," he said.
"The debate on construction is simply an artificial barrier. The construction takes up a very small percentage of the territory, and doesn't affect the settlement map. It has no real effect on the map of a possible arrangement," the PM said.
But before discussing settlements, he said, Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state must be discussed. "Not just a statement that they are willing to recognize this at the end of the conflict, but recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people," he said.
Other important issues, according to Netanyahu, are water and Jerusalem.
"What matters is not the time it takes to conduct the talks, but whether there is willingness to resolve the conflict. If there is willingness, the conflict will be resolved I hope the Palestinians make the right choice, because it will be good for us and good for them," he said.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3971180,00.html 5 nov 2010, 02:33 , Respect -
Maria 31 oct 2010
American professor invited to Israel 'humiliated' by El Al security personnel
Heather Bradshaw, a neuroscience professor invited to a conference at Hebrew University, says she was asked to remove clothing, board the aircraft with no luggage.
An American professor who was invited to a conference in Israel claims she was humiliated by Israeli security personnel at London's Luton airport on Thursday.
Professor Heather Bradshaw, who researches neuroscience at Indiana University, was at Cambridge University when she was invited to Hebrew University in Jerusalem for a conference.
"Our guest arrived at Luton airport on Thursday in order to fly to Israel using [Israeli airline] El Al, and she was shocked to discover that straight away, the security personnel treated her as a terror suspect," said Haifa University professor Arik Rimmerman who submitted a complaint to El Al in her name.
"She presented numerous documents indicating the purpose of her visit and her passport which shows she has already been to Israel several times," said Rimmerman. "The security personnel treated her and the documents she presented with utter disrespect."
Bradshaw told Haaretz that no one told her what she was suspected of and she wasn't explained anything. She said that security took her to a separate room and confiscated all of her belongings. She told Haaretz that she sat and waited as every few minutes a different security official came in to question her about the items in her suitcase which were mostly books.
After the questioning, she underwent a physical examination in which she was asked to remove her bra. The exam lasted nearly an hour, and at the end of it, she was reprimanded for holding up the flight.
Bradshaw was not allowed to bring any carry-on luggage on to the flight and was only permitted her passport and three credit cards.
When she arrived in Israel, she expected someone from the airline to wait for her and update her regarding her luggage and belongings that were left behind, but no one knew anything, Bradshaw told Haaretz. She said she felt helpless and was holding back tears.
Moreover, Bradshaw's Israeli colleagues said that the flight attendant that was tending to her reproached her for coming to Israel without anything and without the proper permit for her luggage.
Bradshaw said it was the fourth time she had traveled to Israel and that this was the first time she was treated this way by security personnel. She told Haaretz that she had no idea why they decided to treat her differently this time.
El Al airline responded to the case by saying that "the airline acts according to the instructions of the defense authorities."
http://bit.ly/azcmfn 24 nov 2010, 21:35 , Respect -
Maria 4 nov 2010
Hebrew U.: Harassment by El Al security could harm Israeli science
Neuroscientist Heather Bradshaw says she was interrogated, searched with no explanation by El Al security en route to Hebrew Univerity conference.
The Hebrew University in Jerusalem filed a complaint with the Israeli airline El Al on Thursday over the "humiliating" treatment of visiting American scientist Professor Heather Bradshaw.
Bradshaw, who researches neuroscience at Indiana University, was at Cambridge University when she was invited to Hebrew University in Jerusalem for a conference. She told Haaretz that El Al security personnel detained her at Luton airport in London, confiscated all of her belongings, and repeatedly questioned her.
After the questioning, she said, she underwent a physical examination in which she was asked to remove her bra. The exam lasted nearly an hour, and at the end of it, she was reprimanded for holding up the flight. She also said that she was never told what it was she was suspected of.
Hebrew University officials warned in their complaint that "the world's top scientists will now refrain from visiting Israel due to interrogations and insensitive searches at Israel's airports."
"Needless to say," they added, "that this could harm Israel's scientific enterprise, which already faces multiple academic boycotts due to political circumstances."
In a stern letter addressed to El Al CEO Eliezer Shkedi, Hebrew University Rector Professor Sarah Stroumsa wrote that "in this instance, a line was crossed. This is not the first instance in which researchers and guests of the university are harassed by El Al security."
"Unfortunately, University staff are also not immune to this hurtful practice, which really has nothing to do with security concerns," she added.
Stroumsa explained that the conference was organized by a faculty within the university that "attracts the world's best scientists, including numerous Nobel Prize laureates who come every year to take part in prestigious scientific conferences. This type of activity benefits the Hebrew University, as well as the State of Israel, because, as we know, science is one of our country's most important strategic assets."
Stroumsa went on to say that "I certainly understand El Al's commitment to its passengers, but I expect the company to do its utmost to prevent unnecessary harm to its customers. El Al's security personnel looked at Professor Bradshaw's invitation documents with contempt, refused to believe that this researcher was indeed invited by the Hebrew University, but failed to contact the university to verify her identity. Clearly no decent judgment was utilized."
El Al issued a response to the complaint, saying that "the airline operates in accordance with the guidelines set by the security authorities."
http://bit.ly/aeaqab 24 nov 2010, 21:36 , Respect -
Maria 8 nov 2010
Report: Airline apologizes after strip-searching US professor
TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) -- Israel's national airline El Al on Monday apologized to a visiting professor strip-searched on her way to conference in Jerusalem, an Israeli newspaper reported.
Heather Bradshaw, a neuroscientist, was travelling from the UK to Israel at the invitation of Hebrew University when she was subjected a physical examination in which she was asked to remove her bra.
She told the Israeli daily Haaretz that El Al security personnel detained her at Luton airport in London on 31 October, confiscated all of her belongings, and repeatedly questioned her. After nearly an hour of examinations, she was reportedly reprimanded for holding up the flight.
Before leaving Israel Monday on a different carrier, the office of El Al's CEO called Bradshaw to apologize, telling her that it had opened an investigation, Haaretz reported. The airline also promised to compensate her for the inconvenience and the late arrival of her luggage, according to the report.
The apology followed a letter to the airline from Hebrew University, Haaretz reported.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=331956 24 nov 2010, 21:37 , Respect -
Maria 10 nov 2010
Air Transport Association: Israeli flight security disgraceful
Giovanni Bisignani, director general and CEO of the Air Transport Association (IATA), criticized Israel's flight safety and called Israeli flight industry to uphold international standards. During his first visit to Israel, Bisignani said that it is disgraceful that the Israeli flight security has slid down to a level that may harm both Israeli airlines and the State's reputation.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982544,00.html 24 nov 2010, 21:37 , Respect -
Maria 22 nov 2010
'I may never return to Israel'
Australian tourist writes open letter to Israelis about her experience with airport security. 'I never want to go through that again even if it means not coming back to Israel,' she says.
I am a 24-year-old female Australian law student and first visited Israel last year. I had a really enjoyable trip visiting friends and as such, decided to return for a second trip to visit their newborn baby this year. However, I had an experience with Israeli security at the airport flying from Amsterdam that would make me think twice about traveling to Israel again in the future.
Before checking-in for my flight, passengers were required to undergo a brief security interview. As part of this, I was asked what I was doing in Amsterdam and who I was staying with. My answer: "Visiting two Australian friends from law school currently living in Holland." Security asked for their names. I had nothing to conceal and neither did my friends, so I gave security their names as requested. This should have been a simple affair if it was not for the sole reason that one of my friends, born and raised in Australia, happened to have an Arabic sounding surname.
Immediately and without explanation, my bags and passport were taken from me and further security appeared demanding to know whether this girl was really Australian. I found this question offensive: she is as "Australian" as I am, just without my "stereotypical" blond hair and blue eyes. They started questioning her background, which made me think: if she or I were any type of security threat, would I openly say her name? Of course not. The situation didn%u2019t seem rational to me.
I was directed to a different boarding gate to all other passengers. A lady was waiting for me at the gate and ordered me to follow her into an isolated, underground section of the terminal where I was placed in the custody of approximately five security officers . Needless to say, a very intimidating and confusing situation.
There, security officers spoke between themselves in Hebrew, which I cannot understand, and provided me with no explanation of what was happening even though I kept asking. Again, without any explanation, I was ordered to a private room with two female security officers with the only English instructions being "move over there and bring whatever money you have with you."
This did not clarify things for me. I again tried to enquire what was going on because, but again, they continued to communicate only in Hebrew and still I received no response to my questions. Eventually I received a response when I asked, "Is this a random security check?" One lady paused and barked at me, "No.%u201D I was silent after this.
In this room, I was strip searched. I was ordered to remove my shirt, pants and bra. Again, no explanation was given as to why I was being ordered to remove my clothes. The security officers still spoke in Hebrew on radios between the rooms. I was ordered to put my clothes back on and join the other security officers in the first room. I was given a chair in the corner of the room behind a partial screen to sit and wait while every item of my backpack was examined in detail, my laptop was taken from my sight and the occasional question thrown at me across the room.
'I was ordered to remove my shirt, pants and bra' (Archive photo: Reuters)
By this point, I was feeling very intimidated and uncomfortable. I was alone in a separate underground area of the terminal and surrounded by security officers. I was being treated as if I was guilty of a crime, yet I did not even know what the allegation was nor did I have any idea of what was happening as everyone was speaking in Hebrew and still refusing to answer my questions.
Finally I was declared no risk to security. However, my laptop, camera, iPod were put in a separate box and taken away from me without explanation. I watched all my photos from three months abroad, my laptop with important documents on it and covered only by a small piece of bubble wrap in a cardboard box, and my Australian phone disappearing down the hallway without any explanation after I had just been told I was no security threat.
I boarded the flight, completely bewildered, confused and upset about the situation that had just occurred. I was not offered any kind of apology or explanation. This process had taken over an hour.
Unfortunately, this is not the only negative experience I have had with Israeli security. Upon leaving Tel Aviv last year I underwent a routine search and a keffiyeh I had bought as a souvenir in Jerusalem was jumped upon. A security guard held up the keffiyeh in the air and stated (I remember his exact words): %u201CDo you realize what this is?%u201D I replied, %u2018Yes it%u2019s a keffiyeh, they are being sold everywhere in Jerusalem." The disdain in his voice was clear as he asked again, "Yes, but do you realize what this represents? This is a symbol calling for the end of Israel."
I was taken to a separate room and searched extensively. I ultimately lost my laptop battery as I was not allowed to fly with it and it never turned up at my destination (hence my concern for my valuables this time). I was shocked at the way I was treated for buying a keffiyeh and I was shocked at the comments of the security officer in relation to the keffiyeh.
I do understand the importance of airport screening and security measures. However, I am offended that I would be subjected to such degrading treatment solely because I am friends with an Australian woman of Arabic dissent and I was provided with no explanation or apology for this treatment. Furthermore, I found it incredibly inappropriate to refer to the keffiyeh I had in my bag an item of disdain and danger.
Despite having some of my closest friends in Israel and having an enjoyable visit both times, I walked away from the security area simply thinking, "I never want to go through that again even if it means not coming back to Israel." Sure I could have not said my friends%u2019 Arabic sounding surname and it would have saved a lot of hassle. However, when asked a question by security and I have nothing to hide in any way, why should I have to conceal my friends%u2019 name?
The only positive experience in the flight from Amsterdam was one of the young trainee security officers standing uncomfortably to the side during this whole process. After I was declared not a security risk and we were alone, she took one look at me and learned forward and whispered, "I think you need a cup of tea after this."
I hope that in the future, Israeli security officers show more respect in their work. Indeed, my time at the airport heading out of Israel was uneventful and an example of the fact not all security officers are behaving in this way but those that do are indeed having a negative impact on visitors to Israel.
El Al: Security our guiding principle
Tens of thousands of tourists are familiar with Nicki's negative experience on her way to the Holy Land. According to figures released by the Prime Minister's Office about half an year ago, some 300,000 people are detained every day while entering Israel, just because their name or personal profile are similar to those of a suspicious person.
A total of 100,000 tourists are detained every year, some of them having to go through the same experience Nicki went through during her two visits.
Amy Cohen's parents, for example, were detained based on "intelligence information" received by the Immigration Authority. "They told them that they were missionaries and had to leave Israel," says Amy. "They were released after 13 hours in custody, not before they were forced to sign a document promising not to engage in any missionary activity."
Apart from potential missionaries or terror activists, airport security has also detained people who seemed to be trying to immigrate to Israel illegally, including some foreign sportsmen who arrived in the Holy Land to join Israeli teams and were deported instead.
"Nicki and I have been good friends for years, and she really loved Israel on her first visit," says Yahli Shereshevsky, 28, a fellow researcher at the Hebrew University's Faculty of Law. "I was amazed and shocked by the treatment given to such a lovely, innocent and kind girl.
"Beyond the shock, such an incident has a negative impact on the State's image and character. I am a proud citizen of the State of Israel, and many times I find myself praising the country in conversations with friends from abroad. I served in a combat unit in the army and I fully understand the State's need to defend itself.
"But the need for security checks has nothing to do with the humiliating way they are implemented. In what way would the State's security have been harmed had they answered Nicki's questions, apologized from the bottom of their hearts for the discomfort she suffered, and considered the need to undress her and invade her privacy by examining the pictures and files on her computer?
"Nicki's case illustrates the damage one single person can cause in his treatment of those arriving at Israel's gates. Unfortunately, in this case it was more than one person, and after I began investigating I discovered that this is a much more widespread phenomenon.
"I don't think this is an intentional policy of the State or airlines, but they are responsible, and in the current situation they are helping damage the State's image and hurting its visitors."
An El Al spokesman said in response, "The passenger was checked in accordance with all security orders. Security is El Al's guiding principle, and the security officers are doing an excellent job under difficult conditions."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3988184,00.html 24 nov 2010, 21:38 , Respect -
Maria 23 nov 2010
Americans want 'Israeli' airport security
While public debate over invasive airport security measures continues, new poll reveals US citizens favor air safety even at cost of their own privacy, but not when physical checks are involved.
Should the US adopt Israeli-style airport security measures? A debate over just that issue has been running at full steam over the past few days due to profound public criticism of invasive security techniques which include a full body search and pat down in intimate areas.
House or Representatives delegate for Utah Jason Chaffetz, on Monday called for a probe into methods employed by Transportation Security Administration agents and for a look into alternative methods which would be based on the use of sniffer dogs with secondary use of screening machines and implementing behavioral profiling as Israel does.
In the past, Americans vetoed the security system used at Ben Gurion Airport claiming it casts suspicion on one sector in an inclusive fashion, namely, against Arabs and Muslims. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained on Monday that the reason US authorities refused to adopt Israeli methods was because "Israel has one international airport and we have 450 of them that makes all the difference".
And yet, it seems that the American public disagrees. A Washington Post and ABC network poll revealed that 70% of Americans support adopting the Israeli profiling system and its implementation in US airports.
Since last month, 400 screening machines were introduced at 70 of the US' largest and most sensitive airports, three of them operate at three international airports in the Washington DC area. Anyone refusing to undergo the invasive screening is forced to undergo an invasive body check and pat down, which aroused harsh reactions from the public.
Seeds of public rebellion against airport security policies were evident on Monday. The White House press pack made Press Secretary Robert Gibbs sweat as they flung question after question on the security issue. He was forced to clarify that the issue was a work in progress which "has evolved", where the goal is to ensure air traffic security while at the same time keeping the invasion of privacy at a minimum.
Meanwhile, that same poll which called on authorities to adopt Israeli security methods, also indicated the two thirds of the American population support fill body scans for passengers and have a clear preference for fighting terror %u2013 even when it comes with an invasion of their privacy, something which is usually very important to Americans.
That said, half of the poll respondents clarified that they are against invasive passenger body checks. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano also made an attempt to calm the growing storm over airport security methods saying that the new security methods are essential to public safety.
"There is an ongoing threat on airports from those who seek to smuggle powders and substances that can be used to blow up airplanes, the new technology was designed to assist in spotting terrorists"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3988578,00.html
24 nov 2010
"On airport security, do we really want to be like Israel?"
I hope we get over our romanticism about Israel's airport security protocols in a hurry. I flew out of Ben Gurion International Airport in 2005, and it was one of the most unpleasant experiences I ever had as a traveler.
The fuss over airport security pat-downs in the United States has renewed attention to Israel's approach. The Jewish state, long accustomed to the theorist threat, has implemented a much-admired security protocol whose best advertisement is a lack of successful terrorist acts on planes arriving or leaving Israel.
Skeptics have already pointed out that Israel has just two airports and 50 flights a day, and that its thorough security process could never be scaled up for the hundreds of airports and thousands of daily flights in the United States. But for all its vaunted sophistication, Israel's approach boils down to a lot of profiling and political intrusion.
I went to Israel five years ago as editor-in-chief of Red Herring, a technology finance publication based in Silicon Valley, to participate in a venture capital conference. Like many first-time visitors, I couldn't help but notice the extent of security measures: metal detectors at restaurants and hotel entrances, the ubiquitous presence of armed guards, and the number of Israelis who bore arms.
I got used to being asked at security checkpoints, "Are you carrying a weapon?" and watching Israelis pull out guns and check them at certain events like we hand over coats and umbrellas.
But it was my departure that put me in close proximity to the vaunted security system.
I knew I was in for an unpleasant time when the young security man looked at my U.S. passport, looked me up and down and asked, "What kind of name is Dreyfuss?" "Jewish," I told him, "one of the most famous Jewish names in the world." I was somewhat shocked that he didn't know. What were they teaching kids in Israel these days? But I kept those thoughts to myself.
"Are you Jewish?" he asked. I told him no, but that my grandfather had been. I didn't think it would be helpful to explain I was born into a racially-diverse family in Haiti and that I was Catholic.
I had already noticed that the combination of my tan complexion and short mustache frequently drew suspicious looks during my stay, but I assumed my body language tagged me as a foreigner. On the flight back, when I raised the issue with a seatmate, she said, "Well, you look like you might be Arab."
Apparently, my security screener had the same impression. The next thing I knew, I was being directed to a very long line. Almost all the people on my line were Arabs or Africans. The much shorter, fast-moving line consisted mostly of white Americans and Europeans. Everyone on my queue was asked to open their luggage for inspection. When the security team got to me, they went through the books and magazines I had packed.
A booklet from the Peres Center for Peace, which I had visited at the request of my publisher, seemed to raise alarm. The man searching my bag called a supervisor, who called his boss over. They asked me why I had visited the Peres center. "Because I'm a journalist," I replied. I must have said the magic word. "Journalist?" the boss repeated. Suddenly, my books were put back, my suitcase was snapped shut, and I was on my way home.
If Americans adopt Israel's approach to security, they should be prepared for racial and ethnic profiling, questions about their religious preferences, and careful examination of their reading material. Maybe full-body scans are a less intrusive after all. I suspect the real reason for the outrage over body scanners and pat-downs is that the majority of Americans are finally experiencing the kind of discomfiting scrutiny that has long been routine for those who are repeatedly profiled and humiliated. As long as it was someone else, it didn't matter.
Joel Dreyfuss is the managing editor of The Root.
http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/25764/pid/895
1 dec 2010
Lieberman forms taskforce to save VIPs from airport harassment
Foreign Ministry drafting plans for a permanent situation room at Ben-Gurion Airport that would assist innocent tourists or senior officials who are harassed by security checks.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered on Tuesday his ministry to draft plans for a permanent situation room at Ben-Gurion International Airport that would assist innocent tourists or senior officials who are harassed by border control or security checks at the airport.
2 siblings humiliated at airport after false drug accusation
Such incidents, he said, "cause serious diplomatic and image damage to Israel."
The ministry has held several lower-level meetings on the subject in recent months and discussed various possible solutions, but nothing was decided. During these months, there were almost weekly incidents of prominent visitors being harassed at Ben-Gurion.
Lieberman convened Tuesday's meeting, which included representatives of all the relevant state agencies, in an effort to finally get the ball rolling.
A ministry source said Lieberman was particularly incensed by two incidents. One occurred in May and was reported by Haaretz at the time: the deportation of renowned Spanish clown Ivan Prado, who had come to participate in a clown festival in Ramallah. The Shin Bet security service claimed he had ties to terrorist elements.
Palestinian hip-hop artist held at gunpoint in Ben Gurion airport
The other, which occurred in July, involved a visit by Donna Shalala, a former U.S. secretary of health and human services. Shalala, now the president of the University of Miami, is considered a great friend of Israel who has actively fought motions for an academic boycott of the country, and she was here as part of a delegation of U.S. university presidents working against the boycott. Yet on her way out of the country, she underwent a lengthy and humiliating security check at Ben-Gurion because she is of Lebanese origin.
At Tuesday's meeting, Lieberman noted that tourism to Israel has been on the rise over the last year, and Israel wants to encourage that trend. But to do so, he said, Israel must make sure tourists don't leave the country with a bad taste in their mouths.
"We must all make sure that senior officials, especially friends of Israel, are not harassed unnecessarily," he said, according to the source. "The case of the Spanish clown and other cases caused severe image damage to Israel. And it's inconceivable that a respected university president should arrive and be harassed just because her last name is Lebanese."
Ben-Gurion International Airport: Cancer patients humiliated at airport
The ministry source said Lieberman wants the situation room to be able to deal with such cases in real time. He also hopes it will prevent embarrassing incidents that stem solely from a lack of coordination among the relevant agencies.
Lieberman's idea is to have the situation room staffed by representatives of every agency dealing with entry into or exit from Israel, as well as Foreign Ministry officials.
http://bit.ly/idj8r8
13 dec 2010
Israel to hold emergency drill at airport
Tel Aviv is set to hold an emergency exercise at Israel's central Ben Gurion Airport and the surrounding areas to examine the army's backup readiness.
The drill is planned to be held at 11:05 local time on Monday with sirens played through loudspeakers to simulate an emergency.
The main areas to see the drills are Ben Gurion Airport, Airport City and Industrial Park. The sirens will be heard in nearby settlements as well.
The drills follow large scale naval exercises Israel held in its bases of Eilat and Haifa in late November.
In October, the Israeli army and other military forces carried out a huge maneuver to practice countering mock coordinated attacks and unconventional warfare.
Many believe that the recent spate of military drills suggest that Israel is seeking to launch another aggression in the region.
http://www.presstv.com/detail/155264.html