Americans of Jewish background: humiliated before flying to Israel

Two Americans of Jewish background have claimed to have been humiliated at the security inspection before boarding the El Al flight from New York to Israel two weeks ago. They claimed that they were investigation bluntly at JFK in New York, which included, physical examination and testing proficiency on Israeli holidays, reports Haaretz this morning.

Family background of the two is complex: the first, 34, is the grandson of a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany who came to Israel in the thirties of the last century and married Muslim Lebanese women, senior Lebanese Communist Party. His mother, born in Lebanon, met his father during studies in East Germany and together with their son, they moved to the United States. In the past, he visited Israel several times and has been used to the long interviews as part of his job at the Institute of Education for Peace and offering workshops for co - existence, tolerance and dialogue inspired by the Koran.

For the teenage girl, a middle school art teacher in Boston, it was the first visit to Israel. "What church do you go to?" She was asked at the New York airport. "For my Bat Mitzvah I went to synagogue," she replied to his astonishment.


Her biological father is African - American and her birth mother is Jewish, who gave her over to a Jewish adoption agency. She did not know her biological parents, but her adoptive family is Jewish and on Passover Rivka asked questions like all children. However, the responses answered to the examiner's many questions about Israeli holidays and holidays, Rivka could not remember that the matzah hidden on Passover is called Afikoman. Lack of knowledge, as well as her features, deepened, in her opinion, the suspicion of the examiner.

Later on, whilst waiting in line for check-in, the man was taken for a short questioning and the girl for about 20 minutes.
When the questioning ended, they were informed that they could board the plane but only with their mobile phones. The laptop and tablet computers they were required to put in their luggage. They protested and checkers responded "that's the policy; fly with another company if you want."


Later the two guards accompanied the two to the departure gate, there were put into a separate room, a second round of physical examinations, checking objects and e-mail accounts on their mobile phone. In a side room Rafiq was required to remove his shoes, take off his pants and show his feet. They fingered him, scanned him and sent metal detector checks for explosives in his underwear band.

The checker asked the woman to change clothes before boarding the plane. When they landed at the airport, after passport control, Rivka was taken for questioning which lasted about an hour and a half. Investigators repeated most questions asked in New York and demanded that she provide the names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of friends in Israel. While collecting their luggage, they discovered their clothes and belongings were mixed and that there was no trace of the Rafiq's computer and his iPad. It was apparent that Rivka's iPad was opened and had been read. The jeans and shoes which they had replaced before boarding had disappeared.

Until their return to the United States on January 1, they did not receive their belongings. During his stay in Israel Rafiq was to train from afar two workshops in countries in Africa, what turned out to be problematic because his computer was not in his possession. Thus, he also missed the deadline for funding of projects. Even today, two weeks and a half after the difficult landing, their belongings have not yet been returned.

El Al spokesman, Ran Rahav, said in response: "The company regrets if the passengers suffered mental anguish. Civil aviation security at airports in Israel and abroad is carried out according to the guidelines of the state security services, and the airline must follow the prompts. Any decision about the inspection process, scope and nature, are sustained by professional parameters, and are not aimed for harming the dignity of any passenger. "Regarding the lost equipment, it has been promised that they would be compensated in accordance with procedures."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!