for what it's worth..... maybe the solution is to have a seperate line for diplomats and their guests with seperate security....i agree that security and common sense must find a balance....... on the other hand if all it means is harassing the french and english then hey i'm all for that

And worked for Israel in The Hague case against the fence (before he joined the Foreign Office of course). Airport idiots.

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD, WAIT IN LINE LIKE THE REST OF US YOU PAMPERED SISSY'S!

Why should VIP's be any different from any other non-Jew that gets harassed at the airport? As a frequent flier and a Christian, I can tell you that what the security personnel do on a routine basis is beyond just trying to safeguard passengers.

This conduct springs not from a zeal for utmost security, but from arrogance of power. Security must not be used as a shield for incompetence and mismanagement. More than 10 minutes to check an instrument...this is spite (no Foreign Ministry hack will tell us what to do!), and/or incompetence.

U TRY TO PASS SECURITY WITH A KIPPA ON UR HEAD IN FRANCE ora ny place SEE WHT HAPPENS i am sure ull change ur mind WHY CANT THEY BE CHECK LIKE ALL OF US . IS THT JUSTICE ?

Nowadays we can't trust anyone. He can be a VIP one minute and the next minute a suicide bomber. No logical reason a violinist should get special attention.

Only complains are news: But, report that many passangers feel Ben Gurion as a safetly airport. Maybe the safetliest of the world... on the other hand: Checking, but without dammaging the properties, should be better. I prefer to read complains, but a safer airport, and I want many tourists coming to Israel. By the way...harrasment? go to Grece, Venezuela, Buenos Aires...

It seems that recently, people from a variety of nations, of a variety of religions and of varying relationships with the Israeli establishment have all been subjected to similar checks. In other words, racial or religious profiling relatively on the decrease.

One can understand that there might be Israeli interest in the contents of a diplomatic bag, but hassling diplomats of friendly countries -- who have been security-vetted in any case to get their job -- is totally counterproductive. The stories which are now circulating are, quite frankly, shocking. If this is how diplomats of friendly countries are treated, imagine how it is for everyone else. Pardon the pun: a pain in the butt. There are three standard questions: "are you carrying anything for anyone else, have you packed your bag yourself, and have you kept it under supervision". The object in question is the bag, not the person. Extended questioning can't be justified on routine security grounds. Winding people up in order to have an excuse to strip-search them, neither. One is left with the impression that the airport security takes advance notice from embassies as an invitation to prepare an extra special "welcome". The answer from the IAA that "The security division is not subordinate to the Foreign Ministry" belies belief: there is no question that there is a problem of customer relations with Israeli security personnel here which needs sorting out (and not just at Ben Gurion)

keep doing a thorough job, we don't mind putting up with a bit of rudeness, it's part of the charm of traveling to/from Israel

People, with the intelligence under the medium level, does not understand that the diplomatic immunity is untouchable, not even for security reasons that the stupid Airport Authority pretends to abduct for its humiliating security checks. After, if your government invites someone in your Country, is not polite to harass him/her for any kind of reason, because if you invite a guest in your home, it means that is good person and never he/she will make attacks against you. Open your mind, do not be silly!!!

I hope Yo Yo Ma doesn't come to Israel with Jacqueline du Pre's(R.I.P) 1712 Davidov Stradivarious for THEY'd raise a suspicious eyebrow re:his name,his appearence,his cello,his nationality,his religion,his C.V.(e,g.playing solo in "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"),his specs and his smile.

Very bad! The major safety advantage Israeli security had was the freedom to go with their 6th sense - the best in the world. Sometimes this appears to be racial profiling, but boo-hoo - that's life (and death). It needs to remain unfettered by American-style political correctedness hogwash.

I cannot tell you how many times *I* from all passengers have been singled out for special checks - because I am chareidi (strictly orthodox Jewish). Someone recently told me that this is their official policy. All chareidim are checked much more carefully than secular travellers. Maybe the next time I travel home, I will fly from Amman....

"The security division is not subordinate to the Foreign Ministry, does not report to the ministry and will not apologize to anyone for acting to defend the lives of passengers." ============= Are they depending from any Israel's authorities or Ben Gurion Security Official have just declared their "Yom Ha'tzmaut" from the State of Israel... I find this behaviour of an extreme gravity, even keeping in mind the threats that Israel is facing...

interesting daniel. By "special checks" what do you mean? extra questioning, individual bags emptied and checked, escorted to the plane? Tell me how many times have you and family members been given strip searches/and or anal cavity checks?

I realize it looks more like Hamas Fatah terrorists run Israel then supposedly pro western Jewish people way Israel is run I was there in 68 69 can testify what a constant security harrassment treatment they put place you though thru it did not stop development of the real suicide bombers but then wounds do not bother Israelis who are like lions not human being unfortunately I am 1 human they are 6 million lions RIGHT ??? I am human they are lions RIGHT ??? THANK YOU... M. Segal

well done Airport Security - Israeli Police - Secret Services and the IDF for all doing your jobs correctly regardless of some outsider who thinks he or she has a superior right to be treated any different to ALL Israelis....without our first line of defense we would be very vulnerable to terrorist adn infaltrators to our land Israel..keep up the fantastic work...

What's the big deal? On my way back to Israel I got frisked at National Airport in Washington, D.C.

ALine: how did you deal with the humilaition? the embarassment?? Did you even read this article, an orchestra's instruments were seized, returned a week later! some damaged! When you and your family are strip searched then you can start comparing "security" experiences. And rj, how many israeli jews are strip searched at BG? I think you found the wrong recipients of "superior treatment." Hmmm it wasnt a french classical musician who assasinated Rabin was it? I wonder if the assasin' supporters receive the anal cavity search at BG?

Try as I will, I cannot get anyone to frisk me. What am I doing wrong :-)

These people should be checked twice, Jew or no-Jew, because they are more dengerous than Haim from Sderot. This only improve the status of Israel and increase the turism.

It doesn't matter who you are, you should all have the same security checks. The have security at Heathrow for EVERYONE, so why can't Israel have the same?