ISRAEL----dreaded yet polite airport security

Ben Gurion Airport

"Not I---Not anyone else can travel the road for you . You must travel it for yourself."  W.Whitman

We were mentally prepared for the unerring and almost infallible Israeli aviation security procedure –the questions, frisking, baggage scrutiny and the laptop checks except for the strip -search. No, we would not accept that; we would rather not go to the Holy Land. That would be a slur on our human dignity as senior citizens. What we never anticipated was that the interrogation would begin on home ground, in Mumbai.

It was a warm Friday Indian evening as we joined the serpentine queue to check in at the El Al counter. 

“It will be a long wait,” said my traveling partner Bee. But it was not to be so.

 A very friendly, young gentleman named Abraham beckoned us forward to the podium in front of the check-in counter. There were two of them, two sets of eyes as it were, and while Abraham asked us inane questions the other unsmilingly looked on. Questions like “When did you pack your bag? Where was it placed in the intervening period before leaving the house? Did you accept a gift to carry for a friend? Who lives with you? "No fire-eating queries!
He looked at my passport-photograph. "I've had a hair-cut," I quipped. He smiled but the looker-on ,with two marble eyes, didn't find it funny. 

Sometimes the questions were repeated as if he didn't remember asking them, while the second set of eyes observed. “No madam, you cannot lock your suitcase” and with that last instruction we could proceed to the El Al counter.

Later, we were told that they were officers of the Israeli security dressed as El Al staff. Fair enough, with Israel being surrounded by hostile countries it is only but natural that so much caution is taken by the nation. The country has not seen aviation security fail for over 40 years.

The white sticker with 13 digit number

Our suitcases were given a green tag and a white sticker pasted on the back of our passport with a number beginning with 2. Visitors are divided into 6 categories. While category 1,2,3 are safe under which fall Israeli citizens, Jews and friendly foreigners, travellers with 4 and 5 are under the scanner and 6 is hostile entrants. Henceforth, Visits to museums, theatres and religious places where security checks take place will depend on the number that you hold. Do not remove the sticker or the green tag throughout your stay in Israel. 

The classification of numbers is on profiling or, to use the new word “differentiating” based on race, religion, dress, gender, country of origin, countries you have visited and the contents in your baggage. If you are a Muslim or an Arab or visited many Muslim countries there’s every chance that you will fall under 5 or 6. Since technology is not always infallible in averting terrorist attacks, e.g. 9/11 disaster, the human factor is brought in …. two sets of vigilant eyes, the interrogation and frisking. The stickers pasted to your passport could be of various colors. I saw some with yellow ones, but we were given a white.

The green sticker; similar one pasted to baggage

Often I am surprised how many keen travelers do not want to visit this fascinating and incredible nation not because of the grenades from the Gaza Strip landing at your feet or the missiles in the Golan Heights but for the fear that an Israeli stamp on your passport may not allow you to visit Muslim countries. There is an iota of accuracy in that. Not for all Muslim countries but for Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan etc.for sure. 

However, Israel has investigated this problem and like all problems have come up with a solution. Ben Gurion Airport since 2013 has stopped stamping passports. This has been replaced by an entry card, your entry visa, which you must retain safely till you exit the country.
 Point to remember is that if you enter Israel through the land border e.g. Egypt, the Egyptians will put a stamp “Taba Border crossing” which would imply that you entered Israel and any discerning Muslim country would know you visited Israel. Therefore, plan your holiday carefully, with a lot of thought.

Entry card...keep it safe

You can be sure that the surveillance cameras are on you as you enter Ben Gurion Airport with its perfect settings and temperature. You may or may not be questioned at the entry. We had a smooth sail. Immigration was easy too. No questions of a confounding nature or body search, perhaps because of the white sticker on our passport. You may be asked for your laptop, cell-phone internet/FB password as the officials scan and sieve your bio-data.

Having collected our baggage, we proceeded to catch the train to Ha Hagana train station and on-wards to Jerusalem. At the hotel we found our suitcases were turned inside out. Nothing was missing and we were not surprised.

On the return trip as you exit the country, leave for the airport well ahead. Checks begin at a gate well ahead of the terminal building. Gun-toting commandos will peer into the car and may /may not ask you questions. A license -plate reading technology sets off an alarm if the vehicle is under suspicion.

Much has been written about the different security layers. That it is complicated, challenging civil liberties, intrusive and time-consuming. It is a debatable matter.

 Yet, our experience tells us that an honest, harmless traveler who wants to see the Holy Land will face no challenges ending a great holiday among friendly souls.

" We do not rejoice in victories. We rejoice when a new type of cotton is grown and when strawberries bloom in Israel." GOLDA MEIR

 

My travelling companion Bee at Ben Gurion Airport