Posted on 03/19/2008 3:43:54 PM PDT by SmithL
JERUSALEM, Israel (AP) -- Israel's renowned airline security faced a legal challenge Wednesday from a civil rights group charging that its practice of ethnic profiling is racist because it singles out Arabs for tougher treatment.
At a Supreme Court hearing, civil rights lawyers demanded an end to the policy, which they say violates Israeli law. Such profiling is illegal in the U.S., where passengers must be singled out for security checks on a random basis.
But some terrorism experts say Israel's measures are effective precisely because they take ethnicity into account — and warn that equality at the airport could cost lives.
Israel is considered a prime target for hijackers and other attackers because of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Despite that, there hasn't been a successful attack on an Israeli airliner in decades, and experts point to Israel's security procedures as a key factor.
Many of the measures are kept secret, but known precautions on Israeli airliners include armored luggage compartments, armed sky marshals and reinforced cockpits. But a key to preventing attacks, experts say, is the screening process on the ground.
Israeli Jews and Arabs get dramatically different treatment when boarding Israeli planes.
Hanna Swaid, an Israeli Arab, remembers being strip-searched by gruff security guards and having his luggage taken apart piece by piece 20 years ago before he flew from Israel to London, where he was a post-doctoral student.
Today, Swaid is an Israeli Arab lawmaker, and he regularly receives complaints from Arab citizens about similar treatment.
The court appeal by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel — and any public debate of the policy — are hobbled by the government's refusal to discuss any of the policy's details.
In court, the government's attorneys would not reveal the screening criteria or acknowledge that ethnicity was one of them.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Any Americans in on this “terrorist protection suit”?
Profiling saves lives............
"But some terrorism experts say Israel's measures are effective precisely because they take ethnicity into account — and warn that equality at the airport could cost lives."
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
They only play this game because there is no pain attached to it for themselves.
That we, as a culture, society and a people, have decided to actually survive this conflict will be signaled first by our refusal to tolerate betrayers.
“...some terrorism experts say Israel’s measures are effective precisely because they take ethnicity into account — and warn that equality at the airport could cost lives.”
I’m at a loss for words.
Profiling is a common sense tool for law enforcement. Those that rail about profiling are usually the ones that fit the profile (obviously). In other words, the usual suspects are the ones with a much higher likelihood to be the very ones you’re looking for. Its utter nonsense to spend limited resources patting down 70 year old women and ignore the ones that look like the last 1,200 perps. The idiocy of the ignorant persists.
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And when they drop these measures, and airplanes fall out of the sky, the lawyers will say its not their fault.
Best airport security in the world, bar none. I doubt the Israeli’s will pay any attention to the suit.
I fly El Al, its safer, and as I do not fit the profile of a terrorist, I do not get treated like one. Leftist logic is to insure the innocent get treated like criminals so the criminals dont get their feelings hurt.
What's more important? Egalitarianism or savng lives? How many lives is it worth? Whose?
Let me put it another way; is profiling the end itself? or a means to save innocent lives?
Q.E.D.
It's a no-brainer.
Of course........they do they die !
Let the civil rights asshats sue em.....keeps em off the streets and in the courts on a lose lose case !
Actually, I believe it's more like this: leftist logic is that the damage done by criminals is nature's payback for the complacency of the innocent.
Give me a break
Israel is getting the flying Imams treatment. Ths worries me personally because I fly El Al when I go to Israel.
These suits are to make the airlines (El Al; etc.) safe for terrorists.
The judges had better watch it. Someone will take care of the present day krinocracy if things get too irrational.
Israel is also a leftwing krinocracy. That is why the country is so bad in many respects.
As the USA goes, so goes Israel. Dont be saps and fall for that liberal Sh*t like here in the states!
Maybe that’s because Israelis do not strap bombs to their bodies. Just a thought.
“Israel is also a leftwing krinocracy. That is why the country is so bad in many respects.”
Ou gignosko hopos apokrinesthai.
Somebody call the WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBULANCE for the “poor, oppressed” whiners having to “suffer” so much.
Pass me the world’s smallest violin.
In stark contrast, I once took a domestic Israeli flight and had ample opportunity to "observe" being observed in notable contrast to other passengers holding Israeli passports. Back room, etc. Their security people were very polite, very professional, and VERY thorough. However, one fellow passenger (a government employee from a Commonwealth nation) found himself stripped to his skivies. I think it pays to be American.
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