The US State Department has grown sore with Israeli airport screeners’ treatment of American citizens of Arab descent, Haaretz reports.
The State Department officials stressed that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was very perturbed by this issue and said they expected immediate improvement.
They also warned their Israeli counterparts that unless there was a change, they would update the travel warning for Americans visiting Israel to include a statement that “Israel harasses American citizens of Arab and Palestinian origin.”
9 responses so far ↓
1 Green // Sep 18, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Why the discrimination? Why does’nt Israeli security screen all those Eskimoes, American Indians, Polish-Catholics, Luxemburgians, Argentinians and others that are always hijacking airplanes and flying them into buildings, blowing up buses and restaurants, and firing rockets at civilians?
2 Nana Poku // Sep 18, 2007 at 3:33 pm
What, only a few hours since this post went up and no “Arab Americans are not Americans ranting”?! Must be something wrong with guys.
Israel is of course completely at liberty to let in who she chooses, but at the same time Condi’s annoyance is absolutely right.
A US citizen is a US citizen, no matter where his / her parents or grandparents may have come from and should be afforded equal protection by American consular authorities.
As for Green’s comment of “hijacking airplanes and flying into buildings”….the last time I checked the individuals concerned were Saudi nationals and not American citizens.
3 Brian Ulrich // Sep 18, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Actually Green, I know of no Arab-Americans who have done what you claim. In fact, the one American member of al-Qaeda whom I know of is Adam Gadahn, of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. This is why profiling is stupid and counter-productive.
4 Mimi // Sep 18, 2007 at 5:44 pm
The Imam from Georgetown, who was in Israel and Palestine to meet with religious leaders, was denied exit through Ben Gurion and had to wait two weeks to be cleared because his origin is Palestinian; I just spoke to him last week, and he’s just flabbergasted about how this is productive or even in Israel’s best interest. Sounds like the Egyptian QIZ reps were similarly detained to the humiliation of their hosts int eh Israeli government; even they were powerless to circumvent the security apparatus.
5 Charles Levinson // Sep 18, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Israel’s own diplomats (the Arab ones that is) get hassled:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/staff/dion_nissenbaum/story/15919.html
6 Brian Ulrich // Sep 18, 2007 at 6:55 pm
It’s not just Arabs as such, they seem to go after anyone who consorts with Arabs. Both times I’ve flown out since I got a couple of Arab stamps on my passport, I’ve gotten the hour-long questioning and possession search. The first time I got asked for my views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which I found inappropriate, whatever the motive for asking - there are some things security forces in a democracy simply shouldn’t delve into.
The second time I got annoyed mainly because the person questioning me seemed convinced that my story that I was a visiting researcher in Middle Eastern history didn’t make sense because I travelled so much. I mean, gee, why would someone who studies the region want to travel in it during Passover break?
Where Israeli security do have a leg up, at least with me, is tone. American airport security seem to think taking security seriously means yelling a lot and looking stern.
7 codepiranha dot org » Blog Archive » State Department leans on Israel over airport issues // Sep 20, 2007 at 12:00 am
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8 Carlos // Feb 21, 2008 at 1:13 am
Y’all’ll get over it. No planes hijacked and no major incidents in 30 years seems like justification enough for me. I admire the Israelis and their security. It would be much the same in the US except that people here value their rights (to get to where they need to get in a timely fashion) over other’s lives. Put on your big-boy pants and get used to the new world. If you get pulled over in an Israeli checkpoint, it’s because - for some reason - you came across as a PITA.
9 Mark // May 22, 2008 at 11:51 am
I am an Israeli, whose Cuban/American friend from Miami visited. He flew Turkish Airlines because of partner frequent flyer miles, toured the pyramids, and went to holy sites in the West Bank. All of this was held against him.
The most draconian methods were used against him. His revenge was to call every travel agent in Miami, and talk to every Cuban about his horrible treatment. End result, Miami Cubans, very Christian in their beliefs and used to travel to Israel, are staying away. Israel is losing millions fo tourist dollars, because of profiling the wrong person. The Cubans talk a lot and listen to each other.
I also have a Druze friend who was hassled. These stupid, right out of th army interrogators didn’t even know that the Druze are totally trusted, serve in the army and participate in reserve duty.
I suppose they know what they are doing and I do feel safe when I board a flight at Ben Gurion Airport, but they are not perfect and they need to work on politeness and leave the sarcasm for their personal life.
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