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Last update - 00:00 17/09/2008 Dancing at Ben-Gurion airport By Alexander Yakobson Tags: Israel, Ben-Gurion airport  Here is yet another story about the security checks at Ben-Gurion airport: A black American dancer - a member of the well-known Alvin Ailey dance troupe, which had come to give a series of performances in Israel - was asked to dance in order to prove that he was indeed a dancer. The man, who has a Muslim name, was separated from the rest of the troupe and interrogated. "I showed them a few dance steps, and after another round of questions, they let me join the rest of the group," he related. The Israel Airports Authority responded that it has no record of the incident and no complaint was ever filed. And indeed, it seems the dancer himself was not especially upset over the incident: He said something similar had once happened to him at an American airport. "Maybe I need to get used to dancing at airports," he said. From a bureaucratic standpoint, nothing happened: If there is no complaint, there is nothing to investigate. Those responsible for security at Ben-Gurion will be absolved from having to consider whether it is reasonable and legitimate to demand that a man dance as part of a security check. But it ought to be clear that this is utterly unreasonable and illegitimate, and that there is something very wrong with a system that allows such incidents to occur. It should also be clear that even if, in this case, the passenger shrugged off the incident, many others in his place would have reacted with the same feelings of offense and humiliation that are the lot of many who pass through Ben-Gurion. Advertisement Clearly, security checks are necessary. Ben-Gurion airport is an especially sensitive site, and negligent security there could result in a disaster of enormous proportions. Everyone who has flown since September 11, 2001 knows that stringent checks do not take place only at Ben-Gurion; masses of travelers worldwide suffer bother and annoyance every day. And whether or not anyone admits it, it is clear that passengers with Muslim names are, on average, checked more carefully than others - all over the world. In many places, security officers ask travelers questions that have nothing to do with security, but which do have a security purpose: Information is gleaned from how the passenger responds. Border control officers in Canada once asked me the exact topic of the lecture I was set to give at the academic conference to which I had been invited. Anyone who takes offense at such questions should avoid using international airports. Nevertheless, Israeli security officers often seem to behave as if they feel there are no limits to the inquiry - as if there were no questions it is forbidden to ask, no remarks it is forbidden to make to a passenger. An Indian professor with a written invitation from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was once asked by an El Al security officer in Mumbai, after he had told her the topic of his lecture, why he, a Hindu, was criticizing Hindu nationalism. It is hard to believe that this security officer was ensuring security rather than relieving her boredom. A passenger who is asked to dance as part of a security check also undoubtedly contributes to relieving the security officers' boredom - but not to security. Somebody needs to set limits here, and that somebody has failed utterly to do his job. Bookmark to del.icio.us   On to you, Netanyahu As new coalition sworn in, Netanyahu pledges to seek lasting peace with Arab world. Olmert's legacy Olmert's 39 months in office were characterized by military crises, decisions to use force.   1.   Israeli security guards, I have to come to your defence..... 11:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/09/08   2.   Not racially but just insensitive and tactless 11:42  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/09/08   3.   The real issue here is security, not racism. 12:19  |  Manny Goldstein 17/09/08   4.   Margie #2 12:26  |  Esther 17/09/08   5.   Hundreds complaints security at Arlanda touches women`s breasts 12:42  |  Absolute Sweden 17/09/08   6.   doesn`t belong in israel anyway 13:02  |  henry 17/09/08   7.   I`d rather dance at ben Gurion 13:07  |  Victoria 17/09/08   8.   Better than being blown to pieces, Einstein 13:13  |  Jack 17/09/08   9.   I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS STORY. N/C 13:59  |  Miriam Ashkelon 17/09/08   10.   If you are of colour 14:24  |  Simon Davidson 17/09/08   11.   Nothing New 14:49  |  Mary 17/09/08   12.   Not racism? 14:55  |  Eva SK 17/09/08   13.   So which is it: racism or relieving boredom? 15:16  |  McQueen 17/09/08   14.   Israeli security guards provide safety to travellers 15:18  |  Realist 17/09/08   15.   Keep it up and.... 15:21  |  Nathan 17/09/08   16.   Liar Davidson,look how Blacks(with Brit passports) are treated at 15:23  |  Absolute Sweden 17/09/08   17.   #10 To the guy who pretends to be a Jew..... 15:27  |  Hastaroth 17/09/08   18.   #6 henry 15:34  |  Mark B. 17/09/08   19.   Dancing or lecturing - what`s the difference? 15:38  |  Mike 17/09/08   20.   #13 Hastaroth 15:53  |  Simon Davidson 17/09/08   21.   excuse me? duh? 15:55  |  bob 17/09/08   22.   Hastaroth, to answer your question earlier 15:58  |  Mark B. 17/09/08   23.   #1 Alex and others 16:08  |  John Allen 17/09/08   24.   Mark B 16:10  |  Dr Noam 17/09/08   25.   Miriam, 16:17  |  merre 17/09/08   26.   #2 Margie 16:19  |  John Allen 17/09/08   27.   #10 Simon in the UK 16:25  |  John Allen 17/09/08   28.   Security Light 16:42  |  Stanley 17/09/08   29.   Mr Yakobson left off the rest of the story 16:44  |  Gee 17/09/08   30.   Two little security girls at Ben-Gurion airport 16:52  |  Daniel (Swiss) 17/09/08   31.   #Dino 16:56  |  eva 17/09/08   32.   HORAH AT PHILADEPHIA INTERNATIONAL 16:57  |  Barry S. Roffman 17/09/08   33.   #2 Margie and#4 EstherYou 17:05  |  Eva 17/09/08   34.   Oh Henry you are a hoot 17:15  |  x-ray 17/09/08   35.   Security personnel need ot be trained to behave more human 17:17  |  Rami 17/09/08   36.   Security at Ben-Gurion airport.... 17:19  |  David Nigel Braham 17/09/08   37.   sometimes security can go overboard 17:57  |  John 17/09/08   38.   there are always petty tyrants 18:04  |  John Golden 17/09/08   39.   What`s in a Dance? 18:13  |  Zamarah 17/09/08   40.   2 18:28  |  fellow citizen 17/09/08   41.   # 19 Eva 18:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/09/08   42.   yes that was stupid, but the procedures work.nothing beats sucess 18:58  |  ralph 17/09/08   43.   42 - nothing beats success 19:21  |  wibism 17/09/08   44.   Arab women with cerebral palsy 15:58  |  mowzer 21/09/08   45.   self proclaimed ennemy. 15:48  |  jochai Rubinstein 01/04/09

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