Preface

Racial profiling usually occurs when the official institutions of a state – its security forces or any other institution – adapt the way they treat individual citizens on the basis of considerations relating to their national, ethnic, or religious affiliation, rather than on the basis of concrete and specific information regarding the individual.

Studies on the effects and ramifications of racial profiling on the lives of citizens in various countries – for example, on the lives of Afro-American citizens in the United States – have shown that this policy has functioned as a pretext for the ongoing violation of a series of human rights on the individual level. On the collective level, it has constituted a tangible obstacle impairing the development of the Afro-American community within the overall mosaic of American society. In South Africa, the policy of racial profiling during the Apartheid era, which lasted through the 1990s, led to the committing of appalling crimes against African citizens. These crimes, which constituted gross violations of human rights, were condemned by the international community which rejected the Apartheid regime in a manner that ultimately promoted its collapse and the establishment of a democratic regime based on equal right for African citizens.

The policy of racial profiling directly injures the dignity of those whom it subjects to discrimination. On the basis of their external appearance – the color of their skin, their style of clothing, their language, or other factors – the victims are prevented from playing an active role in society, from realizing themselves, and from realizing their human rights and basic liberty. This happens not because of any faults on their part or any mistake they have committed, but on the basis of an approach rooted in prejudice and reflecting racial discrimination.

The Arab Association for Human Rights and the Center Against Racism argue that racial and ethnic affiliation must never determine the attitude of official institutions towards the citizens of the state. Focusing on such affiliation denies the individual identity of the citizen, thus leading to gross violations of human rights.
In the case of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel, this policy has formed the basis for the attitude of the state and its institutions – particularly the various security forces – toward the minority. Arab citizens have been removed from the general framework applying to the Jewish majority and defined as inherently suspect.

This policy has enabled the security forces to discriminate against Arab citizens to the point of endangering their lives, through a “trigger-happy” policy applied in the case of “suspect” Arab citizens. In official and public thought, such behavior is perceived as “understandable,” “justifiable,” and “acceptable,” provided the victim comes from the Arab minority, whose members are automatically suspected of posing a “tangible threat.”

This report details the forms of racial profiling implemented at airports. This phenomenon is alarming both in terms of the frequency with which it is encountered and in terms of its acceptance in Jewish public opinion and by the authorities. The report aims to alert Israeli society, public bodies, and official institutions to this problem, and to appeal to the international community and to governmental and community bodies to act forcefully and clearly to condemn this unacceptable behavior as a manifestation of racial discrimination. Forms of racial discrimination are contrary to international standards of morality and have been condemned by international human rights conventions as among the most offensive and injurious violations of human dignity.

The report also emphasizes the need to take steps to prevent the recurrence of these violations at overseas airports. In our opinion, governments that tolerate the application of such methods by the State of Israel on their soil share the moral and legal responsibility for the occurrence of these grave violations in their territory. Their toleration of such behavior makes them accomplices in the committing of these offenses.
In the name of universal human rights, we urge all official and non-official bodies to take all possible steps to uproot this inhuman scourge, in order to promote a human and democratic society in which all people and nationalities shall be equal. Such a society can advance humanity toward the peace and stability we all desire.

Lastly, we emphasize that, before its publication, this report was forwarded to the Israel Airports Authority and to El-Al Airlines for comments. The response of the Israel Airlines Authority was confined to a declaration that the subject of the report does not lie within its field of responsibility and is within the mandate of the General Security Service. El-Al airlines did not bother to respond to the report. Part of our correspondence with the foreign airports is attached to the report (Appendix C).

Sincerely,                                                           Sincerely,
Mohammed Zaidan                                            Baker Awady
Executive Director                                              Executive Director
Arab Association for Human Rights                     Center Against Racism

4/12/2006