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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 20:49 08/05/2007 U.S. airport directors study Israeli airline passenger screening By The Associated Press With the heavy summer travel season looming, airport directors from U.S. cities on Tuesday studied Israel's airline passenger screening system, known as one of the world's toughest and most effective. The visitors noted the main difference between the two countries - Israeli security openly employs profiling, singling out passengers for stricter screening based on their appearance or ethnic group, a practice that is banned in the U.S. "The definition of profiling for me has taken on a whole new meaning," said John Clark III, head of the Jacksonville Airport Authority. It's a continuous process of security versus a one-stop shop. Advertisement The directors, representing airports from California to Florida, inspected at the security arrangements at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, where safety concerns affect the design of everything from windows to trash bins. No successful hijacking has occurred on a plane leaving the airport, and no attack has taken place inside the terminal since the 1970s, though Israel and planes entering and leaving the country are prime targets for Islamic extremists. "The Israelis are legendary for their security," said Steven Grossman, head of aviation at the Oakland, California, International Airport. Israeli experts say bolstering security efforts requires an extensive, and at times intrusive, interrogation process. Upon reaching the departure terminal, all passengers undergo individual questioning by security officers, who probe everything from their religious beliefs to travel companions inside the country. Since profiling is employed, stricter security checks are not random. Instead, Israeli citizens are passed through with minimal questioning, unless they are Israeli Arabs, who are often subjected to humiliating body searches and interrogation. The security process has triggered many complaints, but little has been done to ease the checks. Foreigners almost automatically receive closer scrutiny, and racial or other types of profiling can trigger extensive questioning and searching. The Israelis believe this is one of the keys to their success, and the airport officials from the U.S. could only speculate about how it would affect their work. "Let's face it. The whole issue of profiling - that is a difficult word to use in the United States," Grossman said. "The level at which they do it is far beyond, I think, anything we practically can do, for reasons of legal liability and higher number of passengers." As in the United States, airport officials in Israel recommend all international passengers arrive three hours before departure. Due to heightened security, though, travelers often need every minute to make their flight. About 9 million passengers come through Ben Gurion Airport each year, an airport spokeswoman said, the vast majority going to or from international destinations. By comparison, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, handled 46 million passengers last year, most on short flights, said aviation director Randall Walker. Bookmark to del.icio.us The reek of hatred An ex-chief rabbi's recent remarks on Conservative Judaism may spark a legal fight. Natural bombardment A hailstorm set off hundreds of cluster bombs lying in the soil of southern Lebanese soil.   1.   end of human rights 21:03  |  traveller 08/05/07   2.   Exporting and importing the check-in procedures 21:20  |  zmogus 08/05/07   3.   "human rights" vs human life 21:51  |  Gal 08/05/07   4.   Isn`t security there to pinpoint threats? 22:06  |  Jon 08/05/07   5.   #4 Jon: you`re a disgusting liar and racist 22:37  |  Observer 08/05/07   6.   You don`t like it don`t visit 22:56  |  Ben Marx 08/05/07   7.   To Observer # 4 23:01  |  Victor 08/05/07   8.   Muslims lowered the quality of life for everyone 23:05  |  Chick Corea 08/05/07   9.   Observer 23:07  |  x 08/05/07   10.   Palestinians do it again: Farfur the terrorist Mickey Mouse. 23:10  |  Chick Corea 08/05/07   11.   #5 Observer 23:16  |  JonathanInTelAviv 08/05/07   12.   #1 23:37  |  Daniel 08/05/07   13.   11 telaviv 23:42  |  Soldier 08/05/07   14.   Interesting facts 23:48  |  christa 08/05/07   15.   It`s not the mickey mouse character they hate 23:56  |  H50 08/05/07   16.   Americans lowered the quality of life for everyone 00:22  |  JP 09/05/07   17.   Jonathan in Tel Aviv 00:47  |  christa 09/05/07   18.   Unfortunate neccessity; no two ways about it 01:11  |  Jacob 09/05/07   19.   #14 JP 01:35  |  anonymous 09/05/07   20.   Ben Marx 01:49  |  Michael Caplan 09/05/07   21.   lets get this straight 02:06  |  larzbeach 09/05/07   22.   #1 brainless traveler, Not everybody is willing 02:11  |  TOMY 09/05/07   23.   #5 Observer 02:17  |  TOBIA 09/05/07   24.   #35 Jon, It is The true fact, that the pali tv 02:18  |  TOMY 09/05/07   25.   #5 Sorry, in my previoys posting i was 02:20  |  TOMY 09/05/07   26.   What planet arte you Obersving "Observer"? 02:24  |  Barry 09/05/07   27.   GLAD TO GET HOME 02:25  |  TOBIA 09/05/07   28.   # 14 02:28  |  Barry 09/05/07   29.   israel is also legendary for its racism 03:14  |  cristina 09/05/07   30.   "Profiling is necessary" 03:45  |  Aaron Levitt 09/05/07   31.   Mickey Mouse gone violent? I propose listening Shas radios in Isr 12:52  |  zmogus 09/05/07   32.   What can and should be done... 12:53  |  Steve M. 09/05/07   33.   daniel, clue provided check inside 13:16  |  mike 09/05/07   34.   israili security 13:25  |  alfred 09/05/07   35.   Observer - Mickey Mouse 13:45  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   36.   christa and color of skin 13:51  |  Alan 09/05/07   37.   # 14 Christa-nothing interesting 13:53  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   38.   Triggering a check 13:55  |  Alan 09/05/07   39.   # 15 H50 - nonsense again 13:58  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   40.   #34 "Alfred" 14:00  |  Alan 09/05/07   41.   Mickey Mouse for hate 14:05  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   42.   #29 - cristina 14:07  |  Alan 09/05/07   43.   Cristina # 29 Give it up 14:10  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   44.   Aaron Levitt # 30 14:14  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   45.   check triggers part 2 14:15  |  mike 09/05/07   46.   Zmogus # 30 14:18  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   47.   Mike # 33 14:21  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   48.   Alfred # 34 14:24  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   49.   more triggers you are right Alan! 14:27  |  mike 09/05/07   50.   Where do you get it??? To # 7 14:53  |  Andy 09/05/07   51.   to chanahS 14:53  |  mike 09/05/07   52.   #36, Alan to Christa, and color of skin 15:40  |  zmogus 09/05/07   53.   Mike # 51 16:00  |  ChanahS 09/05/07   54.   #53 apples and oranges 16:14  |  mike 09/05/07   55.   #1 and all "human rights" 02:04  |  izzy d 10/05/07   56.   #46, ChanahS. I assume that you assume. 13:28  |  zmogus 10/05/07   57.   Security Taboos 18:37  |  Juniper 21/11/07

Today Online U.K. radical left sees one-state solution to Mideast conflict Responses: 153 Akiva Eldar: Demand for recognition of Jewish State was made hastily Responses: 47 Amira Hass: Failure to free more prisoners is a blow to peace Responses: 38 Rightist MKs slam PM's move to transfer armored vehicles to PA Responses: 50 Rosner: Annapolis could be an unnecessary failure Responses: 13 Rosner's Domain Guest: Lyndon Johnson, the "friendliest president" to Israel Hate crime against Jews: 167 more victims (WTR) Fewer Americans believe Israel is ready to make peace Take a guess: what official will Saudi Arabia send to Annapolis? More Headlines 18:44 Police to decide Sunday if Olmert should be indicted 18:37 Mubarak to Blair: Arab states to hold pre-Annapolis 'mini-summit' 13:49 Rightist MKs slam PM's move to transfer armored vehicles to PA 17:48 IDF personnel chief: Soldiers not adequately rewarded for IDF service 16:36 Anne Frank museum says that diseased tree must be cut down 14:41 Israel okays renewal of flower, strawberry exports from Gaza 17:54 Israel cancels UN climate change summit envoy due to high security cost 16:17 Israel launches anti-hijack pilot identification system 17:03 Crime gang attorney accused of smuggling drugs to jailed clients Previous Editions Select Day 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov 15 nov 14 nov 13 nov 12 nov 11 nov 09 nov 08 nov 07 nov

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