Arab lawyer invited to train 'kinder gentler' Israeli soldiers

[LeftishBrit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/arab-lawyer-invited-to-train-kinder-gentler-israeli-soldiers-815428.html


Wafa Fahoum felt she had to make a stand when her nine-year-old daughter Nadine – an Arab representing Israel at tennis – was singled out for questioning by airport security staff while her Jewish team-mates simply walked through.

Ms Fahoum's campaign to stop others being subjected to such treatment eventually led to her teaching Israeli security guards about how it feels to be an Arab citizen facing daily indignities. Now she has been asked by the Israeli military to organise similar training for soldiers. The initiative follows revelations from former Israeli troops about their abuse of Palestinian civilians....

Ms Fahoum, 42, a lawyer, approached the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, directly to suggest training for the forces. She was pleasantly surprised by the reaction of senior officers. Speaking during a visit to London, she said: "One of them said that soldiers would be better human beings for something like this. That was very encouraging."

(More at link)

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. I'm not surprised. I've found American police to be very approachable as well n/t

[bemildred]

2. Good idea. nt

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. Kinder, gentler racial profiling is the answer! nt

[oberliner]

4. I wonder how Israel compares to other countries in this regard

Are Arab-Americans treated differently than their non-Arab counterparts in US airports? What about in Europe?

How about Iranian Jews wishing to travel abroad? Are they treated differently than non-Jewish Iranians?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. Have you ever seen the way Arabs, even those with Israeli citizenship, are treated in Ben Gurion

airport?

If I had to face that every time I left the country, I'd be hesitant to go.

My husband frequently travels for work. He's only been treated badly once, and that involved being pulled aside multiple times during one trip. The fact that's he's handsome, charming and articulate certainly helps. American profiling doesn't compare to what goes on in Tel Aviv. I myself have been strip searched there and I'm a blond American!

Imagine being a citizen of a country and facing that discrimination. Imagine how you would have to gird yourself before travelling, knowing what you're in for.

Pretty shameful.

[LeftishBrit]

6. In the UK, there is no doubt that 'racial profiling' occurs at all levels

Technically, it's illegal; but it happens all the time. Non-whites - especially young black males - are more likely than whites to attract the suspicious attention of the police.

One example a few years ago: a friend of mine (white), her husband (white) and their friend (black) were in a croweded London underground station, and a couple of young men (white) ran up and stole my friend's handbag and ran away. They noticed too late. Her husband went to call the police (at that time mobile phones were less common), and left her with the friend who was comforting her as she was a bit shaken. When the police arrived, they immediately assumed that the black friend was the thief, and started to arrest him. He protested, and very luckily for him, he had been to a private school and had a posh voice to go with it - so the police then decided that he was not the thief after all! So 'social class' profiling here ended up overturning 'racial profiling' - but it was an unpleasant experience for all, and led to some delay in the police hunting the actual thieves, who so far as I know were never caught.

And since the terrorist attacks, people who look as though they could be Muslim are definitely more likely to be stopped and treated with suspicion by the police.

[notfullofit]

7. A sign of the times. nt