“…Israel has lived with terrorist threats since its inception as a nation-state. A fascinating article in The Toronto Star last week provided a detailed explanation of the multi-tiered, incredibly effective and — by all accounts — remarkably efficient system that the Israelis have devised to both detect and manage security threats at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. Despite facing dozens of potential threats each day, that airport’s security has not been breached since 2002, when a passenger mistakenly carried a handgun onto a flight. The kicker: There aren’t even long lines.
Here’s how it works: From the moment you drive into the parking lot of the airport from one of two entrances, armed guards are there to monitor your car and ask you two questions: How are you and why are you here? Once inside, more questions follow as you wait in line to check in, accompanied by hand inspections of your bags when security personnel deem that wise. Finally, there’s a layer of scanners and metal detectors. At all stages of the process, the Israelis employ profiling, but it’s not profiling based on race, but on behavior. They are looking for things like body language and profuse sweating and other signs of unease. Crucially — and in contrast to the United States — your bag remains with you until your security check is complete, and you do the security check before you obtain your ticket, not after.
What really distinguishes the Israeli security measures, however, is the extensive use of questioning. It’s not just the casual “Have your bags been with you since you packed them?” sort of thing. It is, instead, detailed and probing and — significantly — once the security official starts asking you questions, s/he will never once take his eyes off of yours….”
Newslanc.com © 2021
I have personally experienced this for myself. Numerous guards carrying automatic weapons are stationed at the gates where flights leave for Israel. At Ben-Gurion airport, I was questioned for several minutes at an individual table by a security guard. This individual walked away, and ANOTHER security guard asked me the same questions. Only after they had reviewed my answers with each other in private, making certain that my story was consistent, was I allowed to proceed.
I have experienced these procedures many times and you correctly point out the many differences between our screening and the far superior screening employed by the Israelis. That said, it is not just our procedures that need to be changed, but rather the people employed to make a real difference. The Israelis, even at American airports for flights inbound to Israel have bright, young, highly motivated, and intelligent security staff out front looking you square in the eye and asking these questions while they constantly assess you.
If they have even the slightest hint of concern, you will be pulled from the line and subjected to a far more thorough search and screening. Quite honestly, it makes me feel great knowing that a smart person is actually putting forth the effort to make me safer.
I laugh when a representative of a US carrier, standing behind a counter, while looking down at his/her computer screen or paperwork, asks me the same stupid questions that we ask in this country everywhere. It is nothing but going through the motions and totally meaningless.
Furthermore, one you get past the airline counter, the airport security personnel are no better. I look at those folks, many of whom I would expect to see behind the counter at 7-Eleven if they were not working at the airport, and ask myself how lucky we are that planes are not blowing up daily. The TSA and their front line personnel are a joke.
It may be a financial thing but since 9/11 they only thing that has changed is that these lowest level of service workers now get their paychecks from the Federal Government as opposed to a local airport authority. As to the caliber of their people, the status quo remains and that is really our biggest security shortcoming…our people. We need to rethink how we do this. We need to do/pay whatever it takes to get the same type of highly trained and motivated people out from behind counters to stand eye-to-eye and question travelers and then screen anyone who does not pass muster. We should offer post graduate tuition to graduating psychology students, and other qualified college graduates, willing to take their skills and work 3 years at our airports.