On the Turkish security screening beef

The latest flare-up in the quickly deteriorating Israeli-Turkish relationships is no more than a petty squabble that shouldn't distract in any way from the real issues. To start with, I would offer a CNN article that tries (and largely succeeds) to present a balanced picture of events: in Istanbul's Ataturk airport vs Israeli Ben-Gurion airport.

I said "largely succeeds" because the article is so well balanced that it doesn't tell the whole truth about the security checks that many foreign passengers go through on arrival to and, especially, on departure from Ben-Gurion airport. I am not knocking our security lads and gals, but let's face the truth: the one time humiliating experience of Israeli passengers in Istanbul pales compared to what some people (deserving or not) experience in the able hands of our security. It pains me to resort to quoting Haaretz, but it can't be avoided:

The issue of security checks at Ben-Gurion has turned into a regular source of tension which causes embarrassing diplomatic incidents every several weeks.

Foreign citizens routinely complain regarding their examinations, and some, who are official guests of the Foreign Ministry or other government offices also say they are humiliated often. Most of the incidents take place upon departure from Israel as opposed to landing.

And this is the whole unadulterated truth, ladies and gentlemen. So, instead of complaining about the indignity of going through Istanbul security, do your best to avoid flying to (or through) Ataturk airport and get used to the thought that Turkey is lost as a tourist destination and the source of cheap flights for years to come.

As for Caroline Glick, most vocally complaining (and I am using understatement here to the best of my abilities) about the Istanbul nightmares in her piece Our World: Ankara’s chosen scapegoat, I really had me that ROFLMAO experience while reading this:

The victimized Israelis said the Turkish airport authorities wouldn’t even answer their questions. Any time we asked them a question, the tourists said, the Turks ignored us. It was as if they weren’t even there. And that’s the thing of it. The Turks didn’t harass the Israeli tourists in order to send a message to Israel. They have nothing more to say to us. We are non-entities to them. We’re only good for attacking.

Now, now, relax, Caroline. We are not all that powerless and, let's face it, blameless. We have a trick or two under our sleeves and, where our latex gloves are concerned, we can even teach the Turkish security folks a thing or two...

And if it's the lack of Turkish clerks' response that irks you most: try to involve a TSA employee in a lively discussion next time you are in US. See where it takes you...