6 ms·

What do they call it now? Fake news? But here is a real story. I'm American and "member of the tribe" who has been to Israel many times as shown by the passp

What do they call it now? Fake news? But here is a real story. I'm American and "member of the tribe" who has been to Israel many times as shown by the passport stamps, speaks Hebrew and I didn't arrive at Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv to a Turkish Air flight to Istanbul 3 hours in advance of the flight. My take-on was packed away and I was strip searched down to my underwear. I was amused and happy for the security, but some people might be bothered by that.

Daishiman 10y ago
Unlike the US, Israel and Turkey have been actively targeted by real, no-BS terrorist activity and their security measures are not the security theater that is the TSA, nor are their policies inspired by underlying racism but actual evidence-based security policy. I'm 100% sure it's unpleasant, but their motives are far more trustworthy than the TSA's.
- davidf18 10y ago
  I would have been subject of a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 2008 except that I bought a chocolate bar in a tiny store at the last minute. I picked up the chocolate bar and before I could give the cashier the money, ..... > I'm 100% sure it's unpleasant,... Well, for me, I am only too happy when there are these kinds of security measures.... Also, the screeners are all former military (even women in Israel are drafted) and have been trained to screen according to emotional response. (emotional prosody).
InitialLastName 10y ago
Amused and happy seems like a misnomer when applied to overwhelmingly invasive, unnecessary procedures. Have they actually convinced you that this is improving security?
- davidf18 10y ago
  Well, I don't believe the procedures to be unnecessary. Also, I am not a citizen of Israel but rather a guest, so anything to protect the citizens and other guests from terrorism. In my opinion, if US airport security was run according to Israeli standards, 9/11 would have been less likely.
  - InitialLastName 10y ago
    If they had locked and reinforced the cockpit doors, 9/11 wouldn't have happened. That's all it takes.
    - squarefoot 10y ago
      Before 9/11 there was no perception of that necessity though.
      - davidf18 10y ago
        Well, Israel had done it for quite some time thanks to terrorists hijacking their planes. Plane hijackings have been going on for other countries for some time. Also, IIRC, El-Al has an air martial (again former military in every case) on each flight.
  - logfromblammo 10y ago
    If US airport security was run according to Israeli standards, all international flights would have to go through one of two airports, on the east and west coasts, each of which would have to be larger than ORD, JFK, LAX, DFW, and ATL combined. The special school required to train the screeners would effectively be the largest college in the world. International tourism both in and out would shrink dramatically, as there are precious few religions that consider anywhere in the US to be special holy sites, and plenty of places to see in the US that don't require intensive security screening. No one I know would ever be amused by a strip search. The Israeli air travel strategy just doesn't scale up quite that well.
    - davidf18 10y ago
      Well, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. First, I don't understand the two airport thing. Second, the Israelis do a security check on people before they board the (El-Al) planes -- like a day in advance or more. Also, we have plenty of veterans who fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. who have real combat experience that we could pay more money for at TSA and train and staff appropriately. We could have air martials on every flight. > "No one I know would ever be amused by a strip search." Well, it was my own fault and a new experience and the agent/military guy was well trained and respectful. I was only too happy that they security was so through. Israeli security is very professional and I don't feel nearly the same way with TSA in the US.

Daishiman 10y ago

Unlike the US, Israel and Turkey have been actively targeted by real, no-BS terrorist activity and their security measures are not the security theater that is the TSA, nor are their policies inspired by underlying racism but actual evidence-based security policy. I'm 100% sure it's unpleasant, but their motives are far more trustworthy than the TSA's.

davidf18 10y ago
I would have been subject of a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 2008 except that I bought a chocolate bar in a tiny store at the last minute. I picked up the chocolate bar and before I could give the cashier the money, ..... > I'm 100% sure it's unpleasant,... Well, for me, I am only too happy when there are these kinds of security measures.... Also, the screeners are all former military (even women in Israel are drafted) and have been trained to screen according to emotional response. (emotional prosody).

InitialLastName 10y ago

Amused and happy seems like a misnomer when applied to overwhelmingly invasive, unnecessary procedures. Have they actually convinced you that this is improving security?

davidf18 10y ago
Well, I don't believe the procedures to be unnecessary. Also, I am not a citizen of Israel but rather a guest, so anything to protect the citizens and other guests from terrorism. In my opinion, if US airport security was run according to Israeli standards, 9/11 would have been less likely.
- InitialLastName 10y ago
  If they had locked and reinforced the cockpit doors, 9/11 wouldn't have happened. That's all it takes.
  - squarefoot 10y ago
    Before 9/11 there was no perception of that necessity though.
    - davidf18 10y ago
      Well, Israel had done it for quite some time thanks to terrorists hijacking their planes. Plane hijackings have been going on for other countries for some time. Also, IIRC, El-Al has an air martial (again former military in every case) on each flight.
- logfromblammo 10y ago
  If US airport security was run according to Israeli standards, all international flights would have to go through one of two airports, on the east and west coasts, each of which would have to be larger than ORD, JFK, LAX, DFW, and ATL combined. The special school required to train the screeners would effectively be the largest college in the world. International tourism both in and out would shrink dramatically, as there are precious few religions that consider anywhere in the US to be special holy sites, and plenty of places to see in the US that don't require intensive security screening. No one I know would ever be amused by a strip search. The Israeli air travel strategy just doesn't scale up quite that well.
  - davidf18 10y ago
    Well, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. First, I don't understand the two airport thing. Second, the Israelis do a security check on people before they board the (El-Al) planes -- like a day in advance or more. Also, we have plenty of veterans who fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. who have real combat experience that we could pay more money for at TSA and train and staff appropriately. We could have air martials on every flight. > "No one I know would ever be amused by a strip search." Well, it was my own fault and a new experience and the agent/military guy was well trained and respectful. I was only too happy that they security was so through. Israeli security is very professional and I don't feel nearly the same way with TSA in the US.