Testimony of Nadin Saruji, resident of Nazareth

On September 1, 2005, at 1:00 am, I arrived at Ben Gurion Airport with my father, three hours before my departure time. At 2:00 am. I reached my turn in the line for the security inspection, where they were supposed to ask me a few simple questions. They put my bags through the scanner and instructed me to wait for a further round of questions. I stood with my father and waited. When my turn came, I discovered that they had not my hand baggage through the scanner, because it had not had a sticker on it, so they now checked it in the machine.

One of the women inspectors asked me when my flight was due to depart, and began to inspect my laptop computer. I wanted to turn the computer on before she checked it and show her that it was working, so that I could be sure at the end of the inspection that they had not damaged it. The security guard did not agree and called her manager. The manager said that she believed that the computer was working, and they would be responsible if it was damages.

The guard wanted to put my computer through the scanner. She opened it and put it down in a way that could have damaged the screen. I told her about this and she accept my comment, checked the computer several times, and eventually gave it to me. She continued to inspect the laptop bag, examining every disk and wire in an exasperatingly precise manner. In the meantime, another guard began to check my large suitcase.

The inspection of the computer lasted 20-30 minutes. Some Jewish young men who also had laptop computers were not inspected for more than five minutes.

After they finished inspecting the computer and my large suitcase, I turned the computer on to make sure that it had not been damaged, and I saw that it was working properly. Another guard began to inspect my hand baggage, which included some presents and clothes. She inspected and opened every present and item. In the meantime, a third guard began to examine another bag containing an MP3 player, a small video camera, a regular camera, a battery charger, regular batteries, a set of rechargeable batteries, and some small cables. They checked everything, down to the smallest item. I had to watch all three people who were inspecting these expensive items of equipment to make sure that they did not cause any damage or lose anything. I was really nervous.

Then they began to inspect my second suitcase, which contained some books for my studies in Italy, They inspected every book, turning over each page.

When they finished inspecting the suitcases, I thought at it was all over and I would now be able to proceed to check in, but this was not the case.

They told me that I could not take my laptop computer onto the plane, and they would have to examine it again. They took it and examined it again in the machine and packed it in a box. All this despite the fact that the other passengers who had laptops took them onto the plane without any problem. When I asked them for the reason for this, they replied that it was a security matter and they could not provide details. But inside myself I knew the answer: because I am Arab. If my name had been Rivka, Rotem, or Moshe [Jewish names], the situation would have been completely different.

They divided my books into two piles. They put the first pile in a cardboard box, and only allowed me to take the second pile onto the plane. They wanted to send the camera case together with the large case, but I wouldn’t agree. They said that if that is what I wanted, they would have to inspect that bag again. Once again they inspected the video camera, the regular camera, the MP3 player, and the cables. It was obvious that they did not know what each item was, and they almost ruined my batteries by putting regular batteries into the charger. I commented on this and told them “If you don’t know what something is then ask me. What you’re doing is wrong, you could ruin my equipment.”

Two guards inspected the cameras in the scanner. The woman guard dropped the camera battery. A third guard inspected the MP3 player and dropped it on the floor. Since the player was a present and I had not yet used it, I turned it on to make sure it was working. However, after I got on the plane I noticed that the “Mode change” switch was no longer working. I also discovered that I had to buy new batteries, because the others had been damaged.

While the cameras were being inspected, another guard came up and ordered me to come for a physical search immediately, or I would be unable to complete the search process and would be late for the plane. I refused and said that the plane would have to wait, and that I would not move until they gave me the cameras and equipment. He answered rudely, “No plane is going to wait for you.”

I went for the physical search and my father waited by the suitcases. They told me to take off my shoes and pants. I couldn’t stand the shame any more and started to cry. I felt that I might collapse at any time.

While I was undergoing the physical search, the woman at the counter told my father that the plane and flight were closed and he should take me home. My father asked whether I could get a place on another flight, and she replied that I was losing my ticket and would have to buy a new one. My father was shocked and did not know what to say. The problem was solved when the security guards asked the women to let me through, and took me directly to the airplane.

After the physical search, I was the last person to hand in my bags at the desk. My father seemed very worried about what they had done to me.

When I handed over my suitcases, a new problem arose. Because they had put my laptop computer and some of my books in the large suitcase, they told me that I had passed the weight limit and would have to leave one of my handbags. I decided to put the most important items from two bags into a single bag, and leave behind the less important items with my father so that he could forward them later by mail. They did not agree and said there was no time for that, so I gave my father the first suitcase and paid the excess charge for the second one.

I said goodbye to my father in tears, and saw that he was very worried and had tears in his eyes. I thought to myself, “This is great! I’m going abroad to have fun and this is what they do to me…” One of the guards accompanied me to the plane, although I was entitled to go to the duty free and have the plane wait. I cried all the way to the plane and throughout the flight. It was very difficult for me to come to terms with what I had been through. I felt really bad.

Some of my equipment was damaged – the MP3 player and the batteries. I had to buy new clothes for a wedding I was invited to, because I had left my clothes in the suitcase that I gave to my father. My father had to pay to send the suitcase on to me. Because of the inspections I could not go to the duty free shop. Apart from that, the plane left at 4:20 pm instead of 4:00 pm.

I must emphasize that the rude and insulting attitude, and the lack of human respect, were reflected in every word and every glance of the inspectors. This was a very difficult and exceptional experience, unlike anything else I have ever known.