Imagine the conversation among the Israeli authorities: Who cares if we get blown up? At least we won't be discriminating!
"Mofaz: No More Anti-Arab Discrimination at Airport," from Israel National News (thanks to Romy):
(IsraelNN.com) Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz will eliminate the criterion of nationality from airport security checks, thus making these checks "less racist" and more Arab-friendly, IDF Radio reported.In a reply to a High Court petition against supposed anti-Arab discrimination at Ben Gurion Airport, the Transportation Ministry will present a new set of criteria for security checks, which will include age, occupation and military service. It will soon be brought before the Attorney General for review.
A law abiding Arab should not be treated differently from a Jew, Mofaz said. "Why should the Director of the Nahariya Hospital, an Arab Israeli, who saves lives every day, be delayed at the security check more than anyone else?", Mofaz told IDF Radio.
Certainly. Good point, Mofaz. But if you are planning to pretend that Muslims and Jews are equally likely to commit acts of terror against Israelis, you will be wasting time and resources.
Ridiculous a policy though this is it's not really a far cry from the fuss thats been kicked up about "racial-profiling" in the US since 9/11 and the UK since 7/7 (anyone else find it frustrating that the UK authorities and public only decided to quit pulling their punches with muslims after 7/7 as though 9/11 , bali and Madrid weren't enough of a warning ) .
This past summer in the UK our airports were struck with obsene delays , and I dare say focusing on muslims for terrorism related searches in customs , would have at the very least eased the problem a little .
Why are westerners and israelis alike under the illusion that there would be any freedoms , civil liberties and anti-discrimmination campaigns should islamo-fascists , the world over , get their way (god-forbid).
I recently was in the UK. Same obscene security procedures. I saw them frisking down a 90 year old man in his wheelchair, waiving detector wands arounds his legs. The security personnel insisted on lifting the man's legs up in the air, away from the metal foot rests, to perform the scan. Of course, they also removed his shoes, just like the rest of us had to
Apparently Judy .... of Richard and Judy fame (I shit you not) was stopped and searched during the same period , along with far too many old white women to have any effect on a terrorist threat from bearded babarians . Ridiculous but true ...
In the US, the so-called anti-discrimination policy has led to such rediculous waits and absurd restrictions that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now hated even more than the jack-booted thugs of the ATF or even the IRS. But they can still feel good about themselves because at least they aren't profiling.
As for Israel, it used to be a joke that security delays meant EL AL stood for "Every Landing Always Late" but at least their security precautions were effective. Now comes along idiot dhimmi Shaul Mofaz and his boss, the arch-dhimmi Ehud Olmert to impose political correctness on Ben Gurion Airport. These "men" are truly traitors to both Israel and to humanity.
Not to worry - they've left the "military service" clause. So, if you didn't serve in the army and a m not a Jewish Ultra-Orthodox, the security detail can still subject you to some harassment with justification. At least this way they won't harass retired Druze colonels...
"A law abiding Arab should not be treated differently from a Jew..."
I agree, anyone wearing a burqua should be searched whether Arab or Jew.
I have always understood that El Al profiled based on behavior and not nationality/race/etc.
Has that changed or is airport policy a separate issue entirely?
-XRDC
The profiling actually leads to a false sense of security; there's absolutely no value in assuming that a terrorist or enemy agent would dress and act in an easily identifiable way. A Morrocan Arab wearing a kippa and dressed in jeans and a tee would 'look' like most any Israeli guy. The only tell would be his accent (maybe, if he spoke Hebrew) and his ID. If he had French docs. and spoke French fluently it'd definitely be up to the skills and experience of the airport security staff.
Another good question for presidential candidates might be "What are you going to do about instituting profiling at airports? What are you going to do about firing Muslim staff from the TSA, and about discharging Muslim service people who are sworn to Islam, not America?
A 3-part question Mr. Candidate. We wont hold our breath while you stammer something about religion of peace.
Frankly, this does not make me feel better when I fly into Ben Gurion in March. I'm all for profiling, and terrorist watch lists, and even the searches I have to endure because it's my number.
El Al security has always placed an emphasis on the interview process and not on exterior looks, precisely because a large portion of the Jewish Israeli population is Middle Eastern in origin (not European). Every El Al interviewer undergoes rigorous training in psychological profiling, paying attention to minute details that go well beyond accent, such as tone of voice, posture, facial expression, and subtle muscle twitching.
The disastrous 1973 war has humbled Israelis, and unexpected Egyptian military tenacity and prowess crushed their their post-1967 euphoria and feeling of invincibility. Consequently, the Israelis have acquired respect for their Arab-Muslim (and sometimes dhimmi collaborationist Arab-Christian) enemies, and improved their ability to counteract the Arabs' strategy of deception (as best they [the Israelis] could under the dhimmi limitations imposed upon them by Washington and the "international community").
"Certainly. Good point, Mofaz. But if you are planning to pretend that Muslims and Jews are equally likely to commit acts of terror against Israelis, you will be wasting time and resources"
and lives