My flight from New York lands just before 5:00 pm at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. I gather my belongings and head towards passport control. The entry hall is surprisingly empty. I’ve seen the lines before the passport agents run 20 and 30 deep with travelers before, but today there is nearly no waiting. I am called by the border control agent to approach his kiosk and am asked for my passport. The agent is an older man; he is joking with the younger female agent in the kiosk next to him as I approach.
I give him my passport. He glances at it and asks me one question:
“Horowitz?”
His tone is slightly puzzled, with a touch of amusement.
I reply, “Yup.”
I’m anticipating another question, but he gives me my entry permit and I’m on my way. I’m outside the airport by 5:30, looking for my transport to Jerusalem.
Over the last several years some of the most important stories we’ve run in Mondoweiss have been people’s nightmarish experiences in Ben Gurion airport. Most have been Palestinian Americans sharing their stories of being interrogated, strip searched, humiliated, detained and prevented from visiting their homeland. Other stories have been aid workers barred from entering to help Palestinian communities under occupation. And there have also been stories of students and even musicians who have been kept out of Israel/Palestine on the whim of the young Israeli solider or border agent. Each of these stories are shocking in their own way, and each serve as a microcosm of the system of apartheid that currently governs life in Israel/Palestine.
But to me these stories become even more disturbing when compared to the experience of many others, mostly Jews and white Americans and Europeans, who travel through Ben Gurion without a care, or an interrogation.
what ?! a jew is allowed to fly through passport control at Jewish state airport ? Shocked ! Shocked I tell you.
“Certainly there are Jewish people who actively support the Palestinian cause and speak out against the Israeli crimes. Members of my family do so, some of my friends in Palestine and around the world who are Jewish do so, and of course the ultra-orthodox Neturei Karta do so. And although these Jewish voices are beginning to be heard, all told we are a negligible few.
So next time a Palestinian says the “Yahud” killed my family, the Yahud took my land, the Yahud put my father in prison, the Yahud forced my family into exile, spare them the indignation. Spare them the long lecture about the distinctions between Jew and Israeli, Israeli and Zionist, etc. Instead, it is time to demand the Yahud give answers. Because though Jews are known for asking tough questions, on this issue, as a collective they are far too silent.” — Miko Peled
Congratulations Adam, it seems having a jewish name and jewish face provides one with privileges at Ben Gurion airport. One of my favorit pianist was also a Horowitz, I am sure you know him, or better said, knew him.
However, your experience does not change the facts that non-jews are treated a much different way, I wonder, could I say the same as you do? I had israeli friends, our daughters went to kindergarden and school together, and they sure had different stories to tell, and that was 30 years ago and the situation is much worse nowdays.
I would really like to know how much contraband gets smuggled into Israel by Jewish folk. Does anyone have any stories on this?
“But to me these stories become even more disturbing when compared to the experience of many others, mostly Jews and white Americans and Europeans, who travel through Ben Gurion without a care, or an interrogation.”
Yes. It’s disturbing when your presumptions about Israel are undermined because the border agents don’t play to your stereotype by deporting you, eh, Adam? It must be really annoying.
@YoniFalic
Was about to point out the exact same thing. Anyway in view of the recent Aegean Airlines incident it would appear that Israel is encouraging its Jewish nationals to do ad hoc “forward selections” of air passengers travelling to Israel on foreign airlines to ease the targeting and interrogation workloads of their Border Agents at Ben Gurion. Anyone vaguely “Arab looking” particularly if they have a “funny stare” can be intimidated into disembarking by Jewish passengers thus providing advance intelligence or even better persuading these “Arab types” from travelling to the Land of Creation altogether.
If you visit the Israel Tourist Board website you will find the following little gem:
“If you are flying EL AL Israel Airlines (or from Europe on Arkia Israel Airlines or Israir), please know that the security precautions taken by Israeli airlines are the stuff of legend and the envy of the world’s airlines. On check-in for your flights you will be asked a variety of questions during a security interview. Some of the questions may seem un-PC, intrusive, irrelevant or repetitive. Just answer truthfully, go with the flow and don’t lose your cool. Remember, the questions are designed to protect you and your fellow passengers. When you leave Israel, the departure process is identical to that outlined above for all airlines.”
Apart from the fact that this applies only to non – Jewish travellers (other than the self denying dangerous types like N.Finklestein”) it beggars belief that a country claiming to be a Western type democracy is seriously saying to tourists ” Some of the questions may seem un-PC, intrusive, irrelevant or repetitive. Just answer truthfully, go with the flow and don’t lose your cool”.
“Don`t lose your cool” and “go with the flow” and whatever you do don`t STARE back in bewilderment – then you will be really screwed.
And “stuff of legend and the envy of the world`s airlines.” !? FFS