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Mofaz: Airport security checks no longer discriminatory
Roee Nahmias
Published: 07.08.07, 21:31
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33 Talkbacks for this article
1. Arabs should be "double checked"
semsem ,   New York, USA   (08.07.07)
I get double checked because I was born in an Arab country. So what? Israel is at war and has a right to target Arab passengers with an extra look. It never bothered me.
2. Israel has become too stupid for words..
aL   (08.07.07)
3. Security and Strikes
Dennis Greenstein ,   NJ, USA   (08.07.07)
Between this article, which discusses a possible downgrade of security in order not to offend anyone, and another article, in which the Histadrut cheif threatens to start a General Strike, I may decide to go somewhere else other than israel this Fall...... Assuming that I can even get on a plane to go home (due to threat of strike) I , at least, want to feel safe. If offending sensibilities is a measure of which security precautions are taken or not, then.... might as well go somewhere else.
4. discimination my foot!!!
izzy d   (08.07.07)
While flying in america I was pulled over for a security check because (as the security officer told me) the t shirt I was wearing signfyed drug usage and which in her experiance only drug abuserswear. how many terrorist hijakers are arab/muslim?
5. Security Checks
Joe ,   Israel   (08.07.07)
The Arab sector complains of descrimination. What do they expect? They do not serve in the army, they do not participate in civilian service to the country "Sherut Leumi," and they are openly hostile to Israel. When Israel gets attacked, they dance in the streets.
6. Do not change
enzo ,   london,uk   (08.07.07)
Please, keep it the way it is! I feel so safe when I fly to Israel...
7. If El Al changes
marya ,   sacramento,USA   (08.07.07)
I for one will stop flying on it. I get the third degree but I prefer that to the other option. Do you realize how bad the jihadis want to hurt Israel and how they would love it if profiling ceased?
8. airport security
Susan ,   Kfar Saba   (08.07.07)
While most Arab Israelis are law abiding, we have had a few who were convicted of aiding and abetting terrorists. Even a few Beduin officers were convicted of treason. Now that they know they have an opening, it's a matter of time before one will try something. This is political correctness taken to the point of stupidity.
9. to #4
Aline ,   Kfar Saba   (08.07.07)
You are not the only one. I am a middle aged, white female and I was pulled over in National Airport in D.C. and completely frisked. Should I be offended? Maybe. But we are living in dangerous times.
10. A Stupid change to placate leftniks
jack bauer ,   usa   (08.07.07)
This is just lip service to make arabs feel better.....they should feel better, but only after they themselves stop suicide bombers, and all the other terror eminating from their population. If their were dutch suicide bombers at war with the west, then I for one, would be happy to undergo extra check to show that I'm not a threat to anyone...
11. The Arabs Can't Have it Both Ways
Adina Kutnicki ,   US   (08.08.07)
All the deaf, dumb and blind dhimmis like to pretend that there is NOT an Arab fifth column, and that all is well in the holyland. It is not! If Arabs have tighter security there is a reason for it. Many of them identify and aid the PA entity. This is a fact. Next time you view any of their rallies check which flag they are waving.
12. Where is De Hartog?
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (08.08.07)
Why doesn't he go and slap MK El-Sana?
13. Where is De Hartog?
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (08.08.07)
Why doesn't he go and slap MK El-Sana?
14. Security Checks
NYC Girl   (08.08.07)
Here we have an Arab MK who compares the number on a security ticket to the yellow star in the Holocaust...and Israel has to worry about offending Arab sensibilities?
15. How many Jews have hijacked planes or blown them up???
Nannette ,   London   (08.08.07)
Is Israel going to waste money on extra security checks for Jews now?? If so, please get ONE Israeli official to tell us how manyJews have blown up airplanes, or hijacked them.
16. #4 This article is about ISRAELI security measures
Israel, formerly USA   (08.08.07)
Don't even START to compare it to America. Americans don't have a clue when it comes to security - and certainly not the 6th sense Israelis have - so they throw random precautions around to make it look like they're doing something. Along the way, political correctedness jams itself into the equation, and that's where your experience came in. Remember: America is where a burglar can sue a homeowner if he is injured during the heist.
18. Airport security
Rabbi Abe Hirsh ,   Brooklyn New York   (08.08.07)
I only travelled EL AL inthe past because of the strict security measures. Ialso advised my cingegrants to travel EL AL for the same reason. However, I will now use the cheapest airline. IN addition, it is the Arabs who used airplane hijacking on a grand scale and they are the cause of the severe security procedures.
19. Stupid-how many 9/11 terrorists were Israelis?I rest my case
jan ,   usa   (08.08.07)
20. great idea
avi ,   ny   (08.08.07)
you should also have arabs inspect the cargo and become armed air marshalls.
21. But you do not object to US bag being labeled differently?
Steve ,   USA   (08.08.07)
B"H But you do not object to US bag being labeled differently or even a passport being a necessary document? Let us hit a sacred cow. Do you object to US work permits versus Arab ones because of "nationality"? Work permits are in many cases reserved for Arabs just because of nationality, not to mention that Arabs do not permit Jews to visibly pray on the Temple Mount because of nationality. It IS clearly marked there, right? I guess there would be complaints if "national identity" included passports because that discriminates on which country you come from also. MK Dov Khenin is representing which nation as an MK? Someone should file a complaint against him for saying that the state in essence cannot identify itself because such identification infringes on human rights. What planet does this guy live on? Quote: MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) also slammed the decision: "Tagging suitcases based on national identity is not the solution to security problems but rather the source of a tangible human and civil rights problem."
22. my Point
izzy d   (08.08.07)
My point is that i was pulled over by a security guar whos 20 year experiance tought her that those wearing drug slogan t shirts are likely to have drugs on them. as such the world at large has learned that 99 percent of terrorists are arab/muslims. therefore it makes complete sense to mark an arab luggage high risk as in the game of experiance and statistics that is exactly what it is
23. the arabs have a first class airport in Amman
(08.08.07)
I suggest they use it.
24. not just Arabs are discriminated at Ben Gurion
European ,   EU   (08.08.07)
Why does this article only speak about Arabs being discriminated - it's basically everybody non-Jewish... I travel to Israel regularly, blond, European - in the past I always got the "yellow-single-Arab-traveller" sticker, except for last week-end, then I got a "5", which is - now I know thanks to the artcicle - absolutely the same in white, thanks a lot....
25. not just arabs are discriminated at BG
david ,   France   (08.08.07)
I had the worst experiences in Ben Gurion with these security checks. Full on unprofessional rude behaviour. Made complaints several times. Security YES please because Ben Gurion is a target but what I've seen there goes beyond everything.
26. make it easier for the screeners and...
Rami ,   Nazareth, israel   (08.08.07)
give yellow star of david to jews, green crescent to muslims and red cross for christians..
27. more stupidity
eliezer ,   jerusalem   (08.08.07)
after traveling from Israel and returning, I praised our security people. Coming to the ElAl terminal, the security agent asked me several questions and passed me. I did not require any further check. Why, because they can realize that I am an elderly religious Jew. According to statistics, there are very few elderly religious Jew that blow themselves up. That's profiling! Yet when I traveled in America I was checked up and down. Every terminal that I came to I was doubly frisked, baggage checked and rechecked. Why, because the Americans are stupid. They say that they do not do profiling, so they get shady people like me, old men who can hardly walk and subject them to excruciating checks. According to my knowledge most suicide bombers are muslims, am I un democratic?
28. How do you catch a jewish terrorist with this sytem?
Rami ,   Nazareth, israel   (08.08.07)
29. Discrimination
Xavier ,   copenhagen, Denmark   (08.08.07)
as a businessman with a darker skincolour I have to add that the securitycheck IS very discriminating at Ben Gurion.
30. Yes You're right!
Paul ,   Germany   (08.08.07)
I really don't get the point of what makes it worth to discuss such a thing. Keeping things safe is NOT racism. It's not that anyone excludes Arabs from planes or handcuffs them onto their seats! It's just marking and checking them and their lugagge a bit better than that of others. What is wrong with that?
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