17 January 2011

A response (of a kind) to Bra-Gate

New York Times has taken us to task over the shameful story of our overzealous security cadre.

The head of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s press office apologized on Thursday for the intensive security screening several journalists were subjected to before a cocktail party they had been invited to by the government.
At least they apologized, and for a good enough reason:
The incident was called “Bra-Gate” by The Jerusalem Post because one Arab-Israeli journalist working for Al Jazeera, Najwan Simri Diab, was denied entry to the event because she agreed to take off some of her clothes but refused to remove her bra.
Yeah... a real shame, that. But at least NYT tried to be balanced this time, so here we have a bit that somewhat alleviates the pain:
An Israeli photographer, Menahem Kahana, told Haaretz that he was subjected to extra screening and was asked to remove his trousers.
So, in a way, it shows some impartiality on the side of the security bozos: you take off your bra and we'll take off our trousers...

What I really liked in the whole story, though, was a remark made by another Arab female reporter from Al Jazeera, one Sherine Tadros:
As female journalists working in this region we constantly find ourselves putting clothes on to please Hamas and taking them off to please the Israelis.
Good point. At least there is some difference between the sides. That, aside of them loving death more than we love life...