Israeli Passenger Security Screening Re-Examined

Even though it's all to do with the dreaded "profiling" approach, US Airport Directors are showing much interest in the non-random screening methodologies being utilized by Israeli airport security. Directors from airports as dislocated as California to Florida, inspected the security arrangements at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Within the Israeli system, foreigners receive closer scrutiny automatically and racial and religious profiling is axiomatic. Interrogation and body searches are implemented intensively, depending upon how nearly the subject fits the threat profile. Intrusive and aggressive questioning is part of the Israeli's provocative approach to uncovering threats. Despite applauding the Israeli success, most US airport managers conceded that there were three obstacles to adopting Israeli search and screen protocols in the US. Ben Gurion Airport handles nine million passengers a year whilst the top-end US airports might handle 46 million. US Airport Directors are also trying to persuade, and not dissuade, travelers from deserting to the highways and high-speed rail links, so the US protocols for search and vetting is unlikely to change in advance of any further high profile terrorist-related security event. The third reason is of course that profiling is a legal minefield in the US. The key to the Israeli solution is a key that could never fit any US airport's security gates.