American professor invited to Israel 'humiliated' by El Al security personnel
Heather Bradshaw, a neuroscience professor invited to a conference at Hebrew University, says she was asked to remove clothing, board the aircraft with no luggage.
By Zohar Blumenkrantz Tags: Israel news El AlAn American professor who was invited to a conference in Israel claims she was humiliated by Israeli security personnel at London's Luton airport on Thursday.
Professor Heather Bradshaw, who researches neuroscience at Indiana University, was at Cambridge University when she was invited to Hebrew University in Jerusalem for a conference.
"Our guest arrived at Luton airport on Thursday in order to fly to Israel using [Israeli airline] El Al, and she was shocked to discover that straight away, the security personnel treated her as a terror suspect," said Haifa University professor Arik Rimmerman who submitted a complaint to El Al in her name.
"She presented numerous documents indicating the purpose of her visit and her passport – which shows she has already been to Israel several times," said Rimmerman. "The security personnel treated her and the documents she presented with utter disrespect."
Bradshaw told Haaretz that no one told her what she was suspected of and she wasn't explained anything. She said that security took her to a separate room and confiscated all of her belongings. She told Haaretz that she sat and waited as every few minutes a different security official came in to question her about the items in her suitcase – which were mostly books.
 |
|
| Photo by: Archive |
After the questioning, she underwent a physical examination in which she was asked to remove her bra. The exam lasted nearly an hour, and at the end of it, she was reprimanded for holding up the flight.
Bradshaw was not allowed to bring any carry-on luggage on to the flight and was only permitted her passport and three credit cards.
When she arrived in Israel, she expected someone from the airline to wait for her and update her regarding her luggage and belongings that were left behind, but no one knew anything, Bradshaw told Haaretz. She said she felt helpless and was holding back tears.
Moreover, Bradshaw's Israeli colleagues said that the flight attendant that was tending to her reproached her for coming to Israel without anything and without the proper permit for her luggage.
Bradshaw said it was the fourth time she had traveled to Israel and that this was the first time she was treated this way by security personnel. She told Haaretz that she had no idea why they decided to treat her differently this time.
El Al airline responded to the case by saying that "the airline acts according to the instructions of the defense authorities."
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
I am an American Jew and have experienced similar treatment twice from El Al and have since vowed never to fly El Al again. I have also been unfairly detained and harassed by security at Ben Gurion. While I remain a staunch pro-Israel activist, my treatment by El Al and customs agents gave me pause and made me question whether I could make Aliyah.
If You have a little dignity never again !!!!!
i see them el al do worst things to my arab friends when we have confrences for work there, i just walk in 50% of the time with heavt searching but my arab partners get treated very poorly! its disgcusting how they treat humans. I avoid everything isreal when i can, the worst goverment ever!
In my extensive travel I regularly go through security checks even in the hotels in Turkey. This makes me feel safe, not angry. I have never seen anyone complaining that hotels in major Turkish cities xray you every time you are in and out. Is this because they are not manned by Jews?
It would be useful to know how one avoids confrontation when traveling El Al.
This is so midless In June a former US cabinet member faces similar treatment. Security YES, STUPIDITY NO!
Well it's junta not democracy ,...
I had gone to Israel for the first time (mainly in (east) jerusalem), but it was only on the way back (in Ben Gurion Airport) that i was interrogated and searched for more than an hour. Now, I imagine they do that often (standard procedure for certain passengers), but i don't look in the slightest like an arab. Maybe i said something wrong. When i was still standing in queue with the other passengers a woman asked me: do you have any friends in israel? I said, no but i made some 'friends', a few palestinian taxi-drivers. i guess that was not the thing they wanted to hear!
Hey dude this simply will not do. It’s without doubt a unique Israeli government every one blow us approach.
Get your act together.
Sometimes the security personal is stupid and very, very self-rightous. I have been stripped like this by young and stupid personel. I will never fly el al again. El Al should update their guidelines and keep intelligent staff!
This complaint is complete nonsense. Big deal - she was kept in a room for one whole hour. Wow, what torture. And to remove her bra - oh, how terrible. How many people do you think are physicallys searched and have to remove clothes in US airports every day? Hundreds! This is another manufactured complaint trumpeted by Haaretz to incite hatred of Israel. Good job Haaretz, you accomplished your mission.
who often are so stupid and self-righteous that they can't see the difference between a fly and an elefant. I have gone through something like this, mother of 3 proud Israelis and living here for 34 years (that was 2 years ago, flying from eilat to TA). Many tourist don't come again because of stupid security personel. Israel should mind!
How other civilised countries manage to do these security checks without making the recipients feel they've been mugged. El Al, how about a simple apology when a 'security tip off/mix-up' proves to be false? Does rather help defuse situations. Basic customer care really.
you could add to that ARROGANT security personal and even more ARROGANT EL AL high ups that didnt have the balls to either tell what was the security issue or to admit that they made a MISTAKE
I'm a Dutch national and I had the same experience when flying back from Eilat after a holiday. I had visited Petra in Jordan and the old city of Jerusalem, maybe the trouble started because of that. I was shouted at and called a liar several times. They told me I was in big trouble. It was very unpleasant. They said: I know you've been to Gaza, admit it. It went on and on, with different people. Then I was searched and had to strip down. My pocket knife and my new electric toothbrush were taken away from me and I never got them back. I wonder who is brushing his teeth with them now. This was very bad pr for Israel.
You deserve everything you got. You would have had the same experience in the US.
of course not. it was in my suitcase but still it was confiscated. so was my electric toothbrush. I don't think I deserved any of this treatment for being a tourist in Israel.
Israel is FAR too paranoid to it's regular visitors, and should treat them with more respect.
she changed her itinerary, another warning light, probably nervous with a million bags, another light, bottom line, she was scrutinized, questioned again and again, better safe than dead
Her ticket was bought months ago by the University. Her Itinerary never changed. El-Al had all of her possessions and then she was strip-searched.
and I took my daughter who had been staying with me,to the airport.In spite of showing my identity and explaining that I was there to help her with luggage,the security held her for nearly two hours,examined every article in her luggage,marched her to another place and body searched her etc.I was furious after I left the airport.When I asked a guy why my daughter he said'We are not allowed to discuss it' I can surmise that a 36 year old single girl,with lots of travel on her UK passport may cause suspicion.Nevertheless, I find the attitude here of officialdom very disturbing.They DO have to put secutity before anytrhing else,which is why I try always to fly El Al.However it seems that Ms Bradshaw's case was one of mistaken identity.She should have been given red carpet treatment on her arrival,compensated,and given an honest explanation for what happened,plus an apology.and made to feel welcome by a senior official who should have admitted that someone had messed up.I do hope that this incident does not contribute to the increase of hatred and creation of more hardliners against Israel. PS a message to our authorities.GET YOU ACT TOGETHER AND OFFICIATE POLITELY.KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED AS MUCH AS IS {POSSIBLE.SPEAK OR FIND SOMEOME TO SPEAK TO THE PERSON IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
I commend El Al for not allowing racial profiling. They don't discriminate between bearded muslim men and bearded western women. LOL.
I also work at the university. At Ben Gurion I was classified 5 out of 6 because I had stamps of Marocco, Egypt and Turkey on my passport. My luggage was searched and I was escorted at the check-in. Then they searched my hand luggage and when they saw that a little piece of plastic was broken between two usb ports they took me back to the first security. They searched everything, including my phone and my camera and started to shout at me whether I had been to the West Bank, whether I had any Arab friends etc. I was asked to go to a separate room and to take off my pants. At the end of the shouting, as the plane was late because of me, they let me go, but they confiscated my laptop and they only sent it back a few days later. The battery recharger was nowhere to be found. As someone said in another comment, what angered me, is not my own personal humiliation, but the thought that this is the duty free shop compared to what Palestinians have go through every day.
Poor pals, they explode themselves killing people and terorize Israel and Israel has no right to prevent this. Israel should nod to terrorism and let Palestinians terrorize everywhere doing nothing to prevent this. Come on, tell us another joke, Israel has all right to security even if it is exaggerated!
Because I've never had bad treatment on El Al. The last time I flew with them to and from Barcelona, they inspected my baggage, but weren't rude. A few years ago a friend of mine asked me to take some belongings from Miami to his mother in Israel. I informed the personnel that I was carrying things for someone else, but they were very courteous, even jocular with me. I'm a nervous flyer and they have regularly checked on me to make sure that I was okay. I've had much better service on El Al than on many other airlines, and I've visited over two dozen countries and almost as many airlines.
I flew twice by mistake with El Al and being non jew and working in an NGO made it a kafhian experience. They practise a racist, humilliating and degradating treatment. Can we call for a boycot on the company?????
perfectly normal behaviour in a dystopian society
When I lived outside of Israel, I always flew El Al to TLV because it made me feel like the holiday had started already. It's like the zoo. All the monkey behaviour many Israelis hide when they're abroad (some better than others) can be displayed again. Finally, they can get out the bamba and let kids run through the plane freely. Many of my Israeli friends back in Europe used to work in airline security and they are all decent people. I have been told by them why I am always checked (lone traveller, of a certain age). But in my own experience, Israeli customer service doesn't translate well. Best to keep it in Israel. Another sore point.... Most Westerners feel terribly offended if they are singled out. Often there is a little voice in the back of their heads going "But look at me... I am not a terrorist! I have blue eyes..." That little voice is ugly. And I must own up to having heard that little voice myself. It's racist, and we normally hide it well, but under duress the truth comes out. Despite all that, security officials should be better trained. Their communication skills are very much below par. For starters, they should always keep passengers informed. Why they are doing what they are doing, that is it is PROCEDURE. Because it normally is just that. Procedure.
suggesations to avoid harassements from israeli security: 1) Never fly El Al or other israeli airlines 2) even better, do not go do Israel 3) If you want you may fly to Jordan, then to Israel
She deserves everything she went through and more if she is following in the footsteps of the infamous Kinsey
This is not the first time, El Al has one of the most discourtesiest staff all over the world thats the reason mostly jews fly with this airlines and others fly if they have to fly to Israel, as there is no choice left. God Bless El Al
Any dau of teh week. I dont like El Al Security, but they are thorough and they are competent. Travekling through other airports, you get to see what the non pros do. No thanks I will take rude ISraeli behaviour and arrive safe
Its the humiliating way they conduct the search thats the problem. You can still be NICE/POLITE when conducting a strip search. And you can still apologise for the inconvenience. Other countries manage this ok.
This is what happens when all the rational people give up and leave the system to be run by the brutes. Most of the staff has no more clue of what is going on. The is are no sane big thinkers left in this system. Having seen this system from the inside, I'm sad to say most of the people working only care about their own position and egos rather than the well being of the organization and country. Not sure why it happened. But it seems to be prevalent throughout Israeli society and organizations today.
EXCELLENT .... EXCELLENT .............. ELAL please keep up the good work.
If you’re not Jewish don't use ELAL airlines they will treat you like a terrorist, i was in her place and i was humiliated even more for being Israeli Arab, now i just fly on different airlines and they have lost my business and my friends business. Good luck EL AL competing in the airlines business
Yea, the El Al security people obviously screwed up and mixed her up with the other Heather Bradshaw. http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/bio/bradshaw/ Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by stupidity. The El Al security person who screwed up should be censured, retrained, or let go for being incompetent and wasting valuable time on a non-threat.
these isolated cases have become the norm
El Al flies over 3 million people every year. If it was a "norm" then there would be tens of hundreds of thousands of cases like this every year. There aren't. It's an isolated case.
We only get to hear about visiting professsors forced to go through this crap. How many regular...or ARABS are forced to go through this on a yearly basis. Obviously more than you'd care to admit.
Although I hold israeli passport, I do not like flying El-Al. Sometimes their security questions are impertinent. Also I do not like their serviceand their cabin crew. Unless I must to, I choose BA. Iberia or else.
I agree wholeheartedly
In Holland travelagencies is circulating the joke; if you not satisfied in Israel about your vacation put a writen complaint in one of the many openings in the OLD JERUSALEM WALL. I advice Ms Bradshaw to do the same!
if israeli security agents act as vilains out of israel, call the police and the press! They are violating our laws. Our police officers should lead security checks first. Israel agents have no right out of Israel... Why should they get imunity? Technically this professor has been a victim of a...sexual crime in the UE.
I only use (first) TUIFly, now Air Berlin, for travelling to Europe. Before that I used El Al. They're extremely expensive (way too expensive), the service is horrible, so are many of the (Israeli) passengers, there are many delays, and the security procedures are ridiculous. I was never researched like that myself, but I know others who have been. I'm never again going to fly any Israeli airline. I would also avoid Israeli airports altogether if I could, but there aren't really any viable options, given the lack of transportation options to Amman and the security issues there.
If you have nothing to hide why be upset,safety is more important than a trivial complaint at embarrasing treatment.So what you had to take your bra off are you embarrasedof what you have. will always fly ElAl
EL AL and "the defense authorities" should apologize. Where are we living?? In the jungle?
if you're foolish enough to want to visit Israel, or stupid enough to fly with El Al. Easy answer in future ....
She is also known to have given talks in support of a two state solution. And she was highly critical of IDF gaza flotilla operation with 8 Turks killed. This is why she was zeroed by El Al upon direction of the defense people.
Dr. Bradshaw's primary focus is on understanding nervous system control of female reproductive organs by lipid signaling.
Dr. Bradshaw has never given any such talk.
There is another heather Bradshaw and her biography is printed below. Maybe El_Al personnel took her for this Heather... "Heather Bradshaw is an IEET Affiliate Scholar. Ms. Bradshaw spent her early childhood in the remote hills and dusty towns and villages of Iran, Pakistan, and Libya where her father often worked ......."
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/bio/bradshaw/ many readers it seems are not interested in finding the truth, but rather in joining the lynch mob in its efforts to deligitimize israel.
The article asserts that this was her FOURTH time visiting Israel. If Israeli authorities really thought that she spent her early childhood in Pakistan, Iran and Libya, they would have gone through the same embarrassment procedure when she first visited the country. Use some common sense folks.
did they apologize for their mistake? did they attempt to make any kind of reparation for the mistake? are they going to learn from their mistake? of course not, they're israeli.
Is an Oxford PHD student studying "ethics and emerging tecnologies". Wow. Hey you do know that half of Israel has roots in the remote dusty towns of Iran, Morocco, Yemen etc
And if one really wanted to carry out a terrorist attack, don't you think that it would be advantageous to establish legitimacy? There have been reports of many others with established credentials who nevertheless have carried out attacks, the murders at Mercaz HaRav come to mind.
Well done those security personnel---you have enhanced Israel,s security immeasureably.
isn't it nice that arafat has wasted millions of hours of airline and passenger time by requiring inspections on all global flights. the arch terrorist nobel peace prize winner created the need for inspections at all airline check-ins. the younger pre arafat generation does not recall the time when people simply walked onto airplanes without terrorist trepidations....thank you elal for keeping us safe!
According to Wikipedia, the first hijacking was that of a Brazilian airliner on Dec 2, 1959 - way long before anyone ever heard of Arafat. Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_hijackings
El Al agents and security personnel belong to two different companies. Security personnel that checks El AL and other Israeli airlines' passengers and cargo reports directly to (and is payed by) the israeli ministry of Security. And this is true at airports all over the world. El Al has no responsibility regarding who gets rudely questionned, undressed, ... and can justly resent passengers for holding up flights, etc ... I would advised all "non Kocher" passengers to avoid fliying with El Al. At least the rest of us (Kocher passengers) will not be delayed and won't risk our planes getting bombed !
"I would advised all "non Kocher" passengers to avoid fliying with El Al. At least the rest of us (Kocher passengers) will not be delayed and won't risk our planes getting bombed !" -- And within two years El Al would go bankrupt - a customer base of fanatical Zionists cannot sustain an airline.
Just looking for a boycott-angle, huh. Get a life.
how everytime a plane is hijacked or bombed, then suddenly EL AL sees his number of passenger soaring to new highs ! In fact, if you look at EL AL Traffic since 9/11, it has never been so high. Planes travel at 92% fill rate ! El Al has added 25% more routes and nearly 60% more capacity on exisiting routes since 9/11. Ticket prices have increased 12% on average in the past Two years and profit at the company has never been so high ! Truth is that people (jews and non jews) prefer traveling with ELAL because they know they will be safe ! I don't feel sorry for "non Kocher and arabs" passengers ! They shoul complain to ARAFAT and HAMAS for the treatment they receive !
Obviously we are missing something it doesnt make sense that they would do that for nothing.
What is missing is the follow up...being treated respectfully and being welcomed in Israel with explanations about luggage etc..even if there was good reason to make the investigation (Perhaps she bears the same name as a suspect...it has happened before..)
.. to demonize Israel. Seems like it did a good job.
Is simple. Stop traveling to Israel. Boycott.
It seems that you don't travel much. If you were to travel a lot,they might turn you into an 'Untouchable' from your high position of a Raj. Ha ! Ha !
she doesnt understand that everything she expirienced is just normal israeli behavior and that we here go through it everyday in banks...post offices...hospitals...schools...on the roads...restaraunts...government agencies...the police...
" She was asked to remove clothing,board the aircraft" Oh My !
A need for airline security does not mean the measures can't be undertaken in a cordial and yet professional manner! May I suggest that this incident would not have happened had the security staff acted in a proper way.
Why the assumption that the left is less concerned about Israel's safety than you are?
It seems every scholar has heard about such stories when planning to visit 'the light unto nations'. A friend of mine, on his way to a conference, was searched anally and questioned literaly for hours. He says it is because a few years before he spoke at a conference in another ME country, and his passport contained the related visa. He keeps spreading that story.
the first time I went to Canada with my Israeli passport they searched everything and it took 2 !!!hours of asking.next time I went with my German passport and went through like nothing
I would probably get a bullet in my brain if i visited some arab countrys.
Therefore Mosad prefers to travel with stolen foreign passports!?
I have no problem going into Algeria, Tunisia, Iran, Marocco, etc ... Yes SIr ! Those countries are not racist and they are true democraties with highly trained security personnel. Also they are well educated and plite ! I just use my other "French Passport" without Israeli "stamps" on it !
and as such intelligent enough to understand Israels plight and also to be happy with security. I am sure it was not personal even though the computers showed, that she was born in Pakistan.
The allow themselves to rifle through baggage without feeling the obligation to leave it the way they found it. If they were doing that they could at least have informed her when and where she could retrieve it. It's not as though urgent messages can't arrive in Tel Aviv in two seconds flat if the will is there. As it is she arrived here without her luggage and no-one knew where it was? Sounds like El Al, despite having been privatized, gets enough funding from other private sources to be able to ride rough-shod over its passengers including, incidentally, Israeli Jewish citizens. You can imagine what it's like for the rest of humanity!
why dont my bad experiences made headlines?
Prof.Bradshaw should recall her own experience next time she treats a patient (if ishe is also a practioner ,if not her colleagues should)
I am really getting FED UP with this global nuisance all through Israel.., I mean this is blatant Aggression towards the whole globe , and my question is when will this nonsense stop ? El Al airline responded to the case by saying that "the airline acts according to the instructions of the defense authorities." That is one of the most pathetic excuses I have ever heard. Academics should not be treated like a damn terrorist and beyond all that , she gets reprimanded for holding up the plane ? Beyond Disgust.
and will will understand why El AL is justified in reprimanding her
yes, that is fitting news for a newspaper. It is so rare in a country known for its amazing customer service that I am surprised this did not make front page of the print edition.
Removing her clothing implies getting undressed but removing a bra is hardly getting undressed!! Metal in a bra often does trigger of metal detectors. Moreover why a person is suspected should normally not be disclosed in terror or security related questionings. So in short many of the points mentioned are nothing special to worry about, but indeed keeping luggage in the UK and not mentioning when one gets it back is bad service. EL AL should besides not hide behind so-caled policies of the defense establishment when bad behaviour is criticised.
of male security personnel running finger at the top of the bra ,checking for hidden things behind.. Nothing to be done ,a justifiable security procedure is the answer -and I believe it.
So breathing means only inhaling.
are fast becoming security risks ! In fact the number of muslim fundamentalists there is growing so fast we might soon find it hard to find a blond/blue eyes heir of the VIKINGS. Be prepare for more and more checks at Stockholm airport
It should be done very much thesame to the holders of Israeli passports worldwide including the USA I would say.
Kuki, guess what? It is done to Israeli passport holders, especially in the US. Unfortunately, travelling on an Israeli passport bans you from travel worldwide, with or without luggage or checks.
Israelis are not above suspicion and appreciate tough security measures.
El Al is a racist Airline. I am not jewish, but my wife is. I try to travel with them only if I am with my wife, if I am alone...big problem
Are you joking ? Don't you know how the security on American airlines examine the passengers.If you have nothing to hide,take it as a routine check. And it's a good thing.
Same for me, David. I am not Jewish either, but I live in Israel since I am married to a Jewish Israeli. Whenever I fly alone I am treated like shit. It's not that I do not understand that I, a man between 18-55, travelling on his own, fall under a certain profile, but it is just that bloody Israeli attitude which makes it so completely and utterly disrespectful. I love this country, but many of its citizens are not properly educated on respect. Just look at the way children are raised. My sister flew by herself recently, too. She was searched. The staff at Ben Gurion didn't speak to her in English, they continued talking amongst themselves in Hebrew, chewing gum and screaming nonsense in their mobiles. My sister was crying because she felt violated. I returned to the airport to mediate. All the time, the security agents kept asking me "Why is she crying, why is she crying". These bloody kids don't have a clue how to treat people with respect. Shameful. I understand the need for security, but what about training staff to display some basic politeness. To keep people informed of what is happening. Why they need to search. Information is key.
I am flying the coming week with.....El Al to the promised land, same situation as you r in with one difference... we r living in Holland. i am looking forward to the rubber gloves and stupid psycho games !!! you are right when you mention the politeness for some reason these kids are a bit power drunk. which would be scary if they were not Israeli but Congolese border-guards. the thing is everyone understands the need for security, however i am WORRIED that they are obviously NOT professional enough to make the difference between a normal passenger and whatever they are searching for so they are rude to most... and this is exactly the "smoke screen technique" that will make me (if i would have bad plans) figure out the weak spots...... so another "we are cool" and "we see right through you" approach will be nicer for the normal passenger and harder to see through for the bad guy...
Still, they should not have ceased her luggage.