1984 - Israel joins the ranks of Orwellian Big Brother states.
- Security at the airport now demands that you open your e-mails for government "inspection."
- The standard government answer, "It's for your protection."
When Sandra Tamari arrived at Israel's international airport, she received an unusual request: A security agent pushed a computer screen in front of her, connected to Gmail and told her to "log in."
The agent, suspecting Tamari was involved in pro-Palestinian
activism, wanted to inspect her private email account for incriminating
evidence. The 42-year-old American of Palestinian descent refused and was
swiftly expelled from the country.
Tamari, who is from St. Louis, said she arrived in Israel on
May 21 to participate in an interfaith conference. She described herself as a
Quaker peace activist and acknowledged taking part in campaigns calling for
boycotts and divestment from Israel.
Tamari's experience is not unique. In a cyber-age twist on
Israel's vaunted history of airport security, the country has begun to force
incoming travelers deemed suspicious to open personal email accounts for
inspection, reports the Associated Press.
Targeting mainly Muslims or Arabs, the practice appears to
be aimed at rooting out visitors who have histories of pro-Palestinian activism,
and in recent weeks, has led to the expulsion of at least three American
women.
It remains unclear how widespread the practice is.
However, asked about Tamari's claims, the Shin Bet security
agency confirmed she had been interrogated and said its agents acted in
accordance with the law.
Israel has a long history of using ethnic profiling, calling
it a necessary evil resulting from its bitter experience with terrorist attacks.
Arab travelers and anyone else seen as a risk are often subjected to intense
questioning and invasive inspections, including strip searches.
The security procedures appear to be getting stricter:
Recent searches of journalists at official events have been invasive enough to
create a series of mini-uproars and walkouts - a situation that has dovetailed
with increasing concerns that the government is trying to stifle dissent.
Diana Butto, a former legal adviser to the Palestinian
Authority and a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, said the
policy of email checks, once used sporadically, appears to have become more
widespread over the past year. (Associated Press)
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