FPA

THE FPA REITERATES: We do NOT object to a security check, we DO object to the inexplicably hostile manner in which it is often conducted.

In order to facilitate the process of dealing with incidents involving journalists please download and print out the complaints form below and fax or email it to the FPA office once you have completed it. Printed copies are also available from the FPA office or on request: Usage is limited to FPA members only !

January 2006
We have been following airport procedures - members report considerable improvement in speed and efficiency in recent months following our meetings with the airport authorities and the advisory to give prior notice of departure to the Government Press Office or the Foreign Ministry. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Another member writes:
I find the entire process time consuming, humiliating and rather pointless (as so many of the questions are inane and seem like a fishing expedition.)
I have worked in 153 other countries and not one of them comes close...not even the Soviet Union, Iraq or Cambodia during their "coldest" days. It is a mystery to me why Israel does this to hacks unless its intention is to purposely upset those reporting on Israel, which seems to me to be rather contrary to Israel's interests.

Two FPA members [travelling separately] were reduced to tears by security officials who insisted on prying into their personal affairs - both had been called home unexpectedly at short notice due to urgent personal issues. Neither had any objection to their belongings undergoing the usual search.

A third member writes: Please add my name to the list of journalists who continues to suffer to
stupid harassment at Ben Gurion. It was 90 minutes of nonsense ...at 4:30 in the morning. The chief interest seems to be to establish whether or not I am Jewish, which is a line of questioning that I find
outrageous.

11 April 2005 - exerpt from Board Meeting Minutes:

"a meeting with intelligence officials and Gideon Meir of the Foreign Ministry [was held] in a bid to ease the problems our members face at the airport. The meeting was inconclusive – the FPA board appeals to all members to complain quickly and in writing to the airport authorities if they are subject to unreasonable treatment by security staff. Copies of the letter of complaint should be forwarded to the GPO, the FPA and the foreign ministry."

Airport Harassment – a variety of incidents are reported below – the scenarios repeat themselves ad nauseum. Besides the B1 visa and the GPO card, in most cases there is also the “letter from the GPO” that one would expect to be of some use -- it indicates the person is known and registered in the system -- however the at the airport, they seem to think otherwise…

On a recent trip to Istanbul and Beirut, two and a half hours of questions/searching outbound, about the same on return. Had a letter from the GPO, which they fussed over for the first 30 minutes (inbound), before proceeding with the full search-swab-and-body search...

Each time I leave and each time I arrive at Ben Gurion they grill me as if I was a terrorist, no kidding. I complained already a thousand times also with Mr. Seaman from the GPO. I have a valid Visa in my passport, I speak fluently Hebrew, I have the GPO Press card always with me, nevertheless they keep me waiting at Ben Gurion and ask stupid questions. I wish it would stop!
Thorsten Schmitz Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Israel Bureau Chief

Despite the fact that I notified the GPO five days before my departure and gave it my flight numbers and schedule and despite the fact that the GPO gave me a letter to present to the border control personnel, I was delayed upon my return, Tuesday, March 8.

The police sergeant on duty examined my B-1 visa, leafed through my U.S. passport (my one and only passport) and glanced at the letter. She then pushed a button on her telephone and said, crisply, "I have a B-1."

I was then told to "wait." When I asked if she read the letter from the GPO, she replied, "It's not for us; it's for the ministry of the interior." Three minutes later another female police sergeant showed up and instructed me to follow her to the other side of the arrival area. My passport was in her possession (not mine), it having been given to her by her uniformed colleague. I then was told to wait.

After nearly 10 minutes, during which I had a stern conversation with Danny Seaman by means of my cellular telephone, a policeman emerged from somewhere and gave back my passport to me. I then was able to enter the State of Israel -- I, a longtime resident who followed Israeli troops to the Western Wall, June 7, 1967, and through the entire Six-Day War, Yom Kippur, Lebanon War, interviewed successive prime ministers, have a son who served as Prime Minister Netanyahu's media and political adviser, had to be delayed and subjected to treatment quite different than the hundreds of other passengers who came from the American Bible Belt or the confines of American-Jewish orthodoxy. After all, they can be trusted, but I, presumably because of my dubious profession, cannot! Vive La Hasbara!!! Jay Bushinksy WINS Radio

"Problem" might be a strong word, but recently( early Feb), when flying out, all it took was one look at the GPO card.....no other questions and off I was sent to that looooooonnnnng process of emptying out the bag, being asked if I had photographs or a diary to explain past travels...and endless, ridiculous questions about what I ate in Sri Lanka while covering the Tsunami.
An hour and 10 minutes later i was "free to go"
Again, not necessarily a problem....but amusing when you consider that the GPO card was spotted in my hand in the lineup as I pushed my cart through and I was immediately ushered away......
more to come...I'm sure
Adrienne Arsenault, CBC Middle East Bureau Chief

No problem at Ben Gurion. But my wife's B2 visa, valid for one year, was cancelled at the Taba crossing point, sunday march 6, without any explanation. The supervisor of the immigration services at Taba said it was valid for only one month although it was written on the visa that it expires on January 27th 2006.

I had a horror experience the last time I came into Ben Gurion, on a flight from Egypt on Feb. 20, even though my assistant has called the GPO and the GPO had sent an arrival letter to the airport.
I was the absolute last person from the flight to clear customs. I finally demanded to see the person in charge and the police took me to an officer of the Interior Ministry, who was checking my passport - last – through their internal computer records of work permits. This in a US passport with 4 consecutive work visas in it and presentation of a valid GPO card.
Charlie Radin – Boston Globe

To the attention of Fpa Board
Could FPA do something with the new minister of Interior about the invasive controls in the airport for foreign correspondents residents in Israel, with a B1 permit? We have to pass the normal passport control, then a second special control, in a sort of Shin Bet office, usually reserved to immigrants, to check, I presume, if we are legal or illegal workers. The procedure is apparently the same for us and for them. The little difference is that we are bringing money in Israel and not taking money here, and we are not working for Israeli firms but detached by foreign media.
Journalists arriving without a B1 permit can pass more easily, with only one control. We are supposed, with the GPO permanent card, to be under permanent scrutiny of local security services.
I suggest that FPA, representing all the foreign correspondents, ask the Interior Minister to abolish the 'illegal alien' control for us, in line with the international rules on free movement of journalists.
Francesco Cerri, ANSA Bureau Chief

26 January 2005 – NOT AN FPA MEMBER but a journalist nonetheless -- I called you a couple weeks ago after one of our guests' laptop was taken by airport security on his way out of the country. I thought I'd report back what happened. We host a program called America's Voices in Israel. We bring American radio talk show hosts to Israel for a week to do their show from the studio of the Jerusalem Post back to their station.
Tony Femino came to do a simulcast with Reshet Bet and his station in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 9. He left Israel January 10. He says he was detained three hours at the airport and his laptop was taken. He was told it would be sent to his next destination, Geneva. It did not arrive before he left Geneva……… I don't have any other explanation as to why this happened or why it took 11 days for the laptop to reach him. Nobody in the government actually helped resolve the issue or, for that matter, took any responsibility for it.
Thanks for your concern.
Howard Felson
Jerusalem Post/America's Voices in Israel

I would love to be harassed at BG. Problem is that Palestinian journalists are not allowed to go near the airport any more--we are directed to travel to Jordan via the bridge.
Prof. Salim Tamari, Affiliate FPA member.

On July 11th 2004, the FPA sent a formal complaint to the GPO, the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office listing innumerable incidents of the harassment to which journalists are subjected upon arrival and departure from Ben Gurion Airport. The FPA noted that these incidents go far beyond Israel's legitimate and understandable security concerns.

Following is a summary of the more serious incidents:

Numerous complaints about the Interior Ministry insistence on photographing all journalists with B1s on arrival.

August 28, 2002 – Visiting reporter departing Ben Gurion on Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul has his laptop confiscated for security checks. It has never been seen again, no compensation given. Turkish Airlines say they never received the laptop.

March 2003 – FPA member has her personal organiser confiscated at Ben Gurion for a security check – it was returned smashed. Letter demanding compensation is addressed on March 12 to Thalma Shamir, Commissioner for Public Complaints. Nothing heard of since.

April 23, 2003 – FPA member arrives home at Ben Gurion – his wife and three children have their B2 visas cancelled despite on-the-spot protests. The immigration official would only give them three-month tourist visas.

May 10, 2003 – FPA member leaving Ben Gurion has her computer confiscated without reasonable explanation. It was subsequently sent on, on another flight.

May 13, 2003 – Two visiting journalists miss their flight to Jordan because they refuse to part with their electronic organisers.

May , 2003 – FPA member has his laptop taken away from him at Allenby Bridge on his return from Jordan. When it was returned, the battery was warm and the computer had obviously been turned on without him being present.

June 5, 2003 – Security officials threatened FPA member with missing his flight unless they are allowed to read the contents of his notebook (this on the return from the Aqaba summit!)

June 14, 2003 – Resident cameraman has his Betacam lens (value $15,000) confiscated while checking on to Alitalia flight to Rome. The lens was sent on 48 hours later.

June 2003 – FPA member misses her Arkia flight to London because of a three-hour security control – despite having with her a letter from the GPO. She must pay for a new ticket.

June 23, 2003 – Resident cameraman is not allowed to take his lighting kit on board Alitalia flight to Rome. He had with him a letter from the GPO and the help of a customs broker. The lighting kit was sent on a later flight, but the cameraman had to do without until then.