security done right
 

“Sir, these are a security threat,” the guard announces, triumphantly brandishing the water bottles she had discovered in my hand luggage. I make an abortive attempt to negotiate return of the empty bottles, but she doesn’t understand and I don’t really care. Mostly, I’m just amused at being back. Back in a world where security is a charade.

I’d just arrived in Budapest from Tel Aviv, en route to my home in Amsterdam. Security in Israel, as you might imagine, is a serious business. My security check that morning at Ben Gurion took just under two hours. The surprising thing? It was really quite pleasant.

It started with an extensive interview. They wanted to know everything. Why I’d been in Israel, where I’d visited, where I stayed, what I did, what my routine was, who I met, who funded my trip, when did I decide to go, when did I buy the ticket, what I work on, how I met my Israeli hosts, how I got my current job, why I took my current job, why I spent so long in Australia over Christmas, etc., etc.

My security facilitation officer (my title for her, henceforth we’ll call Jenna) stayed with me the whole time. En route between the various security check-points, she would pepper me with questions, intent to trip up my story. Maybe she’d rifle through my passport and ask “When did you visit Fiji?” or maybe she’d ask me to take off my glasses (again) so she could compare me (again) with one of the photos on the many pieces of identification I’d entrusted to her.

I’d been in Israel visiting two colleagues at Tel Aviv University. They looked at all the emails we exchanged. I showed them our joint papers and they got excited when they noticed one had today’s date.
“But you said you finished this before coming here?”
There followed an extensive tutorial on how LaTeX (a scientific word processor) automatically adjusts the date.
“You say your background is in physics, but now you say you have a job in computer science. What courses in computer science did you take?”
“None, I taught myself.”
“But how could you be hired if you have no training?”
I fumbled this one and they kept coming back to it. Eventually, I told them I was smart and we moved on.
“Can you explain the connection between physics and computer science?”
Oh, boy, you betcha… they had to cut off my answer.

They x-rayed my luggage, they swabbed every single thing in my suitcase for explosives and then they re-x-rayed all the electronics individually. They did my laptop first and then gave it back to me so I could check my email why they were testing everything else.

Meanwhile, Jenna had gone off to check me in. It turned out the flight was overbooked and they wanted to bump me to a later flight. The KLM agent and I carried out a long-distance negotiation intermediated by Jenna, who didn’t waste the opportunity to continue with her questions: “Why are you so keen to be on this flight?” Meanwhile, I was taken away into an enclosed room and searched.

Finally, I was done. Jenna wished me well, asked another random question, and then introduced me to a lower-level agent, who stayed with me as I checked-in, showed me which counters to go to, and then led me through a bypass lane so I could get to the terminal without having to go through the hand luggage scanners.

And they let me keep my water.

Based on your experiences, I'd rather deal with our morons. My travel plans are nobody's business.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

There's no way I'd want to play these stupid games with Israeli "security".

Screen my stuff, I'll be happy to do the WTMD and the Puffer and then that's it. I don't do interrogations and my fees to explain the connection between computer science and physics to "security" personnel start at $400 per hour, 2 hours' minimum charge.

I'd say this is "security" done overboard, not "security" done right.

Agreed. Even the AMS "interviews" sounds enjoyable compared to that.

Imagine if they bring that over to the US, as every "security" consultant in the US is ex-TLV.

:confused: :cool: :) :eek:

Whoa. Quite intensive! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I bet someone was watching what you were doing on the computer too. It's amazing that they even re-x-ray items individually. Israel really means business!!! Your security officer was quite sharp!!!

I've heard the security officers in Israel are junior members of the Mossaud or members-in-training.

I've rather have real, professional security screening rather than smoke-and-mirrors. Here's an interesting question: If we were to install a TSA security check-point after check-in and before boarding the plane, how many passengers in TLV would have items confiscated (e.g. water) and/or get fined? :rolleyes:

This is an extreme example where Israel screens passengers and not objects.

- Pat

In fairness to the TLV staff I think what we read below is the highest level of screening, not the norm.

Ditto...Welcome to FlyerTalk!

:D ^

I'm going to have to remember that the next time I'm asked about some of the items in my laptop bag! Especially since they had been through the x-ray and ETD swabbed with nary a peep! :mad:

If they don't look like they've got the $800 minimum (cash only), I just give the Dr. Peter Venkman (Ghostbusters) response: "It's technical." ;)

Ah, but it the United States, it's no one's business who I am, what I do, or why I'm flying.

Not something I'd welcome in the US, for it's not going to be "security done right" in the US. (TLV security can be shown to have failings too, but that demonstration requires a waiver from prosecution.)

About the questioning, less "readable" material along = less basis on which to conduct any meaningful questioning. "I'm a recovering pack rat." ;)

I'm so glad that you appreciated the security at Ben Gurion Airport.
I have experienced a far less extensive interview and baggage screening, but that's perhaps due to my rather obvious religious affiliation and ethnic background (no prizes for guessing).

When I teach nursing and medical students about obtaining a patient's history, I talk about El Al security. They have found that their friendly, conversational style is far more effective than a series of canned "yes" or "no" questions. I teach my students to have a more dynamic, friendly style when talking to patients... you get more useful information that way.

I think that one of the most noteworthy features of security at TLV is the absence of power trips, badges, and yelling. The staff bubbly, wishing passengers a good trip, talking to kids, and so forth. It's relaxed, hospitable, and dignified. And I

There is no jacket or shoe removal, no wanding or frisking (unless it's absolutely necessary), and one need only clear security at a single checkpoint (i.e. no double checks, no gate screening.)

Of coruse there is a dark side. There has been uproar from Arab passengers facing undue inspections. Of course I have mixed feelings about this, but I can certainly understand concerns about discrimination.

If I could use Tel Aviv security for every flight, I would.

Ditto

Welcome to Flyertalk, been. Interesting first post. :-:

:snicker: I'd pay good money to watch that (from a safe distance).

Been, welcome to FlyerTalk -- and congratulations on one of the best-written posts I have read here. It was done well enough to have been crafted by a professional (and I don't say that lightly, journalism is my own profession).

Your experience at TLV was an unusual one. Security checks, even for foreigners, generally take about 10 minutes -- and the only time I have been escorted to check in was when I arrived 5 hours early for an El Al flight. They explained that anyone showing up before the normal three hour check in is required to go to airside immediately and they stayed with me until I did.

Something made "Jenna" suspicious about you. I can not even begin to imagine what that might have been. Possibly you met the description of someone they had been told to look for. Perhaps they had a specific warning about the flight you were going to be on and were looking at all foreigners more closely. It might well have been something you said -- anything far from the usual will ring bells, even if it stands out in a "good" way.

A few years ago, for example, a friend of mine came here for a short visit. She was an American Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, stationed in Italy. Moreover, she was Black and had NATO Intelligence credentials, which she showed to El Al Security in Rome.

This really threw them. She probably would have had no problem if she had been a senior NCO and gotten on the flight at JFK, but whoever heard of a Black, female, LTC boarding in Rome and how did she get those impressive NATO credentials?

As they were with you, they were very friendly with her, but they wouldn't let her board until they were completely satisfied. When she told them she would be seeing a friend in Israel, they asked for my telephone number and called me (from Rome!) to verify her story.

A similar situation happened about two years ago, when we had a Meet of FlyerTalkers in Tel Aviv. They all flew here on different planes, and from different parts of the world. I expected that some would run into problems when they said they were going to Tel Aviv just to spend some time with people they knew from the internet. That story, too, sounds odd.

Most got through fairly quickly but Traveller, an American who had spent a few days in Istanbul on the way here, also had them wondering. I had given my telephone number to all of them and El Al, indeed, called inquiring about Traveller.

One other FlyerTalker coming to the Meet had a rather long interview but that was undoubtedly due to the large number of visas in his passport from various Arab countries.

If you flew a different airline to get into Israel you might well escape the interrogation but flying out is a different story. Everyone, no matter what airline he is taking, is questioned.

You don't "do" interrogations? No problem. Just be prepared for a long bus trip to Cairo or Amman. It requires no interviews at all and you can buy a ticket on EgyptAir or Royal Jordanian to take you home.

(Of course, I can't guarantee that you won't be questioned in those countries. Their own security forces might be curious about why you were not allowed on a plane out of Israel.)