The ordeal inflicted on an American-Palestinian by El Al, the Israeli airline
Noor Wazwaz, an American journalist of Palestinian origin, will long have a bitter memory of her unceremonious exclusion, as the most formidable of terrorists, from the plane which was to allow her to reach the West Bank.
Still reeling from the unenviable special treatment given to him by very zealous Israeli security agents from El Al, the national airline of Israel, and Americans, officiating within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), she will forever be marked by her humiliating sidelining, under the eyes of other passengers.
Since this July 18 of sad memory, in Newark, New Jersey, where access to the flight which was to allow her to join her parents was formally forbidden to her, the young Arab-Muslim woman has not emerged unscathed from the special, brutal and degrading body search which was inflicted on him.
Traumatized by the obscene pat-downs and forced undressing that she experienced as real torture, Noor Wazwaz, who felt her privacy and dignity were hurt, is also struggling to recover from the false allegations made against her. Allegations so huge and unfounded that they border on the absurd!
Indeed, the Israeli security agents, in full abuse of power, went so far as to decree that his ” computer had tested positive for explosives “.
” Totally grotesque, ridiculous! “, protested Abed Ayoub, the president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. The latter deeply regrets that this accusation, however worn, is still frequently made by the Israelis for a single purpose: to prevent American-Palestinians from visiting their relatives in the Occupied Territories, in the heart of a Palestine under the yoke of the Zionist oppression.
” It is unconscionable that any American citizen should be subjected to such treatment, let alone that it is happening here in the United States. There is no justification for the treatment Noor Wazwaz has suffered, and we demand an immediate investigation into all El Al policies “, demanded Abed Ayoub, letting his indignation burst.
And to drive the point home: There is no place for airlines to create different rules and procedures for passengers of different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds. There is no justification for allowing Israeli security personnel to target members of our community at US airports. The treatment inflicted on Ms. Wazwaz has historically been suffered by US citizens of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim descent, while traveling with El Al, and it has never ceased. “.
Strongly shaken by her mortifying eviction, Noor Wazwaz filed a complaint on Monday, July 31, for racial and religious discrimination against the flag carrier airline of Israel. But his ordeal did not end on the tarmac at Newark airport. It continued to Tel Aviv, where she finally managed to land a few days later on another flight.
Arrested when she got off the plane by the Israeli authorities, the unfortunate young woman was detained and subjected to questioning for long hours that seemed like an eternity to her. When this new ordeal finally came to an end, Noor Wazwaz realized with dismay that her luggage and other handbags had been searched wildly. She was not at the end of her surprises, since several documents that were on her mobile phone had also disappeared.
The complaint lodged against El Al by Noor Wazawz embarrasses Israel at the corners, which in itself already represents a nice revenge for the American-Palestinian journalist.
Indeed, it hurts the apartheid state, which lobbied for special privileges under the US visa waiver program. This real preferential treatment granted to Israelis will allow them to travel to the United States without incident, with minimal security requirements.
I was denied boarding on @EL_AL_ISRAEL because they claimed that I was a “security risk.” Here is a glimpse of what it’s like to travel to Israel as a Palestinian, even if you’re an American. It all started when I went to go drop off my bags at the counter at EWR. pic.twitter.com/1W9X9fm3pX
— Noor | نور (@nfwazwaz) July 18, 2023