
I spent months preparing for my trip to Israel with the primary aim of visiting Jerusalem and seeing the great historical landmarks that are located there. Upon reaching Ben Gurion Airport on June 24, the early warning signs should have been clear. At passport control, a woman rifled through my passport and asked “You’ve been to Pakistan?” Then she quickly sifted me through to the interrogation room where everyone, incidentally, was either Arab or Muslim. My fears of racial and religious discrimination, instead of being proven overblown and hyped up as I had hoped, were quickly justified.
The “guilty until proven innocent” ordeal began with a brief period of questioning about my personal details and motives in visiting Israel and lasted for 10 hours. The interrogators read my phone messages while repeatedly insisting they knew I was up to something untoward. They threatened me with severe consequences if I didn’t inform them of my hitherto unknown plan. Of course, these claims were made with no evidence whatsoever, and despite my calm exterior, left me incredibly flustered. As expected, I was told that I would be denied entry to the state of Israel upon a “security risk”.
My luggage was put through an “explosion detection” machine and after a thorough body search, I was hounded into a van with two security guards. They drove me for five minutes into a gated white building surrounded by huge fences that one would only accord to a jail. The doors in the cells were without knobs, the windows were double barred and the rooms incredibly humid — a situation made worse by the presence of six individuals in one cell. We all had to make do on small bunk beds covered by furry grey blankets. We were left hot, hungry, thirsty and worried for the night.
The others in my cell included a British Pakistani and French Arab men, who had arrived with me, as well as a middle-aged Ukrainian man, a Palestinian who had been refused entry despite being a citizen of the state of Israel and a 70-year-old Tajik guy who had been hoping to fulfil his dream of praying at Al-Aqsa mosque.
The messages previous “visitors” had enshrined on the walls, occasionally by famous persons such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, were interesting and indeed provided a source of inspiration as the day dragged along.
At around 4pm, I received a visit from a rather pleasant man from the British embassy who booked me a flight home for the next morning. In response to my demands that something be done about the degrading treatment I had been subjected to, I was given a fairly standard explanation: “We cannot disrespect Israeli sovereignty — it is their country and they can do as they wish.”
My next question left him dumbfounded and he quickly fell silent when I asked: “Would you be saying the same thing if I was locked up in an Iranian facility?”
My sheer naivety that a British passport would exempt me from these kinds of experiences was quickly shattered. I was driven onto the runway and straight on the steps of my plane. The agents escorting me refused to hand over my passport and I only managed to retrieve it from the captain after landing at Luton Airport.
The very idea of a Jewish state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past. This ethno-religious criteria used to denominate and rank citizens is hardly the hallmark of a liberal democracy.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 18th, 2013.
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Well written article! It is surely a slap on everyone's face who support Israel, and I don't know how these people are in comments that are supporting Israelies and their policies. Why they are here to prove that Israel is an innocent country.
amzaing everybody here seems to be from israel
@H Ali: my understanding is that Israel allows people in on Pakistani passports and does them the courtesy not to stamp the passport itself. It is only Pakistan that says its passport isn't good for travel to Israel, not Israel itself.
Save for the jail bit, the airport experience the author suffered was not particularly unusual: see "El Al stole my toothbrush". Apparently the customs people found something in the phone messages rather incriminating and didn't have some sort of evil plan to jail the author. Otherwise why would they have bothered with the interrogation before jailing him, rather than after? At another web page the author discussed the men he met in jail. He found out for himself that not all visitors to Israel have good intentions and at least one was talking about killing Jews. Perhaps if so many people weren't so keen on killing Israel's Jews security wouldn't be so intrusive. But Pakistanis need only consult their own feelings to realize the Jews' security concerns are not excessive.
@Salman: Very well articulated comments based on historical facts. Although I am not given to ad hominems per se, here I am going to make an exception, as all the pro Israel commentators seem to be suffering from some form of cerebral handicap. So you as well may be throwing pearls before the proverbial s.....
**@ truthbetold: No I don't get the point. None of the countries you mention were created for people from the far corners of the earth at the expense of the indigenous people. It is absurd to defend Israel's existence. The Palestinians who were forced out in 1948 or let us say they just went on a vacation have no right to return; whereas a Jew anywhere in the world has a right to move to Israel. God is not and never was in the real estate business. The land of Israel belongs to Palestinian Jews, Christians and Muslims. The partition of India led to redistribution of the populace within. Israel is THE most racist country in the world today and who better to second that than holocaust survivor Dr. Hajo Mejer ( google youtube ) and the prominent British parliamentarian Sir Gerald Kaufman ( also on youtube ). It is the only country where being a citizen and a national are ( unlike the rest of the world where the two are interchangeable ) defined differently to discriminate against Arabs. Zionists represent the worst of mankind today; a people who for centuries were at the receiving end of inhumanity in the West, should unleash such hatred and violence against another people in another part of the world; people who had no part in their persecution in the West.
@Nagpuri: Have you been to Pakistan? Probably not. There is huge number of minority living there with no issues. If there are issues then they are same for muslims and non-muslims.
Just the fact that hindus and christian are in India AND christains and Jews are in Middle east for centuries prove how muslims treated minority. You probably know your history: Muslims ruled India for 700 years and even then muslims are minority in Indian subcontinent (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh). And Muslims have rules middle eats for about 12 centuries and you still see alot of christians and jews there. I think you and my other friends who are talking bad need to read the history.
Do you know why Muslims went to Spain because a Jew came for help and ask muslims to free them from tyranny of a christian ruler. Look at the action of Salahuddin Ayubi: Who paid ransom himself from his pocket for the christian prisoners in war that he won. Do you see any example like that in non-muslims. Never.
Please go and read history. History tells that in all periods non-muslims were protected in muslim lands.
@Salman:
"There were Jews living in the middle east 3500 years ago, but they were no relation of the European and Russian Jews, who ancestry is Caucasian and not middle eastern. It was not the colonial powers land to give. Hitler and Stalin are gone; the Jews would be much better off living in peace in their homes in Poland and Germany and Russia; instead of murdering Palestinians for 65 years and counting."
Why wouldn't the same logic apply to Pakistan? Just replace Pakistan with Israel, Europe, Russia etc, with Arabia, Turkey, Persia...and Palestinians with Hindus. Hope you get the point.
@Polpot: @Abdul Malik: I am simply stating brother that punjabis are very well respected in my province of west Bengal and if I am not discrimated and lead a prosperous life and I am treated as an equal, paying my taxes, I am then not a minority but an indian. Our country will prosper when we cease to be a minority and our identity will be as an indian and I see happening in west Bengal and in the south where people are genuinely Indian by heart and without prejudice and true to our constitution. Our brothers and sisters in the north need to read more and chitchat less. I don't mind stating it because we are all indians india is not just Bombay and Delhi and bollywood. Jai hind, rab rakha
Pakistan itself is not really a democratic country (the military rules there) and does not treat well its own minority citizens either. And you are finding fault with Israel and its credentials as a liberal democracy! Really funny!
@Reader:
Does Pakistan constently bomb its minorities, arrest minority kids, deprive them of their rights
A. constently bomb its minorities- Hazra Settlement,Quetta(Jan '13),Hazra Settlement, Quetta (Feb '13), Abbas Town, Karachi(March, '13), Quetta(July,13). That IS very 'constent'.
B. arrest minority kids- Rimsha Masih, all of 11 years old. Not counting minor Hindu girls being abducted all the time. So, Yes, again.
C. deprive them of their rights- 2nd Amendment, Blasphemy Laws, Demolition of Places of Worship, Desecration of Graves, Closure of Community paper. Yes, again.
PS- Were you joking by any chance?
@Prabhjyot Singh Madan: Also Milkha Singh is a Flying Sikh. Jo Bole So Nihaal. Sat Sri Akaal.
Try traveling to Saudi Arabia with a Pak Passport that says "Ahmadi" in the religion section :)
@PTI Mardan: How about mohajirs, hazaras, shias, christians, hindus etc. please say some thing
Ashok K. Moza: "I have been to Isreal several times. It has always been a pleasant experience. The country I would not even dream of visiting would be Pakistan." Thanks - now can you do us a favour and not visit Pakistani websites either?
"The very idea of a Jewish state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past. This ethno-religious criteria used to denominate and rank citizens is hardly the hallmark of a liberal democracy." Sir if we replace the word "jewish state" with Pakistan or Saudi arabia do you agree the remaing statement of yours will be TRUE. Secondly Sir, instead of blaming every one in the world why as an enlightened and educated person holding a BRITISH passport you do not analyse and express your opinion as to why this sort of treatment is being meted out. Would love to hear your views. Regards.
An average of one Palestinian child has been killed every 3 days in the last 13 years by the IDF. Mandela and Desmond Tutu have called Israel an apartheid state and I would think they would know something about apartheid. Zionism is an evil creed. No religion confers on it's followers the right to occupy lands which gave birth to their religion; it's true of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or any other religion. What happened to the Jews in the West for a millennium, was no fault of the Palestinian people. Many countries were created by the colonial powers including the division of the sub-continent; but they were all created for the people living there; not for people from across the world. Today, a Jew living anywhere in the world can pack his bags and move to Israel; bulldoze a Palestinian home; build settlements and kill anyone who stands in his way. There were Jews living in the middle east 3500 years ago, but they were no relation of the European and Russian Jews, who ancestry is Caucasian and not middle eastern. It was not the colonial powers land to give. Hitler and Stalin are gone; the Jews would be much better off living in peace in their homes in Poland and Germany and Russia; instead of murdering Palestinians for 65 years and counting. Why should any country recognise Israel, a country with no defined borders; a country whose borders change everyday with the a new land grab.
u deserve the treatment, when u knowingly entered a no go zone, why cry now?
You can not travel to Israel on a Pakistani passport - Pakistan does not accept the existence of the state of Israel and hence you can not travel to Israel on a Pakistani Passport.
you got off easy. imagine a jew landing at peshawar airport to visit the remains of the synagogue near the clock tower. next he knows, he will either be in wana in a dark room with his life valued at million dollars or if his misery were to end early, found at Lady Reading's mortuary.
It is an illegal country and what more could you expect from it.
For all the Pakistan bashing Indians .. bohut he welay log ho yar tum !
@Javed Khan Usmani: "ET who will tolerate anything against Pakistan but won’t let anything go against hindu-stan" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ET is a Pakistani Publication primarily for the Indians. Pls understand:).
Cry me a river Mr.Usman Chatta ! Reason why you don't hear such sob-stories from Jews visiting Pakistan are: 1. They are smart enough to avoid Pakistan. 2. If a Jew does visit Pakistan, he won't go back alive to tell the tale. (Daniel Pearl).
I suggest that instead of whinging about it, you should make the effort to educate your fellow citizens on propriety.
@p r sharma: in hindustani newspaper websites you people cuss and curse if a Pakistani put his comment and here you are spewing your inner venom against us with the blessing of the "liberal" ET who will tolerate anything against Pakistan but won't let anything go against hindu-stan
@PTI Mardan: "Israel has subjected millions of Palestinians to concentration camp conditions but that has failed to get any attention because zionists control the media" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ That pales in comparison to the massacre of the East Pakistanis by the Pakistani Army. Has anyone been ever held responsible for that? Learn more by reading the Hamadoor Report ( in fine tradition also first leaked and then released).
@Pervez Akhtar Khan: "I beg you to come… please …please …please" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The same slogan that you have for the US Russian German French Leaders......!
In retrospect, you fared better than a lot of folks. What if the title of this article had been 'what happened to me after I became governor of Punjab, by Salman Taseer'? Who's fate was worse, yours or his? Which country is responsible for that?
@pakistani:
Wrong! then how come minority population in Pakistan fell from 20% at partition to less than 2% now? Whereas minority population is increasing in Israel and soon Muslims will form majority in Israel? Minority condition in Pakistan is FAR FAR worse than minority condition in Israel
Interesting that you should refer to his country as being Pakistan, when he is a British citizen. Perhaps the problem starts there; selective memory. You seem to have forgotten he underwent this as a British citizen, not a Pakistani. Furthermore, before you go accusing an entire country of being jihadi extremists, try to state exactly where your information comes from. How many Pakistanis do you personally know for that matter? Please do not extrapolate the opinions of a few to a population of more than 170 million. I assure you 99.9% of us want peace, education, bright futures, and to be treated as individuals, not a stereotype. Much the same as a citizen of any other country. @Arindom:
To all the indians who have come running to accuse Pakistan. Might i refresh some logic that you may have forgotten
This report is about Israel not Pakistan - stick to the topic. There are many other news items where your expert opinion (pun Intended) about Pakistan and what is normal and what is an exception here may be more relevant The writer is a British Citizen You do not get thrown into a Jail when you arrive in Pakistan and we see that hey you have been to Israel Even Pakistan cricket Team' physio for a few years was Dan Kiesel - Israeli, i cannot imagine this ever happening in Israel - would you Pakistan does not consider Israel to be her enemy - please stop making concocted assumptions that really do not make sense Israel is - lets say very discriminatory and their treatment of People of Palistine should shame any self respective human being - yet their buddies in Washington ensure that the world is made to see a different an edited version of the truth and that neighboring countries have regimes that favor this tiny crybaby and bully of a state@pakistani:
LOOOOOOOOOOOOL
What is so surprising about this incident? Anyone with Pakistani connections, and from Islamic nations, raises concern for the global non-Muslim countries. Who is to blame for this? It is no secret that Muslims,Pakistanis in particular, are vehemently anti-Semitic and and want to destroy Israel. When are Muslims going to admit there is a valid reason for the anti-Muslim views across the globe and that reason is deeply rooted in Muslim societies themselves.
Israel has the right to protect its citizen from terror attacks. How can one blame them for profiling?
How minorities are being treated in Pakistan is way better than how Palestinians are being dealt with by Israel. Period.
"The very idea of a Jewish state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past. This ethno-religious criteria used to denominate and rank citizens is hardly the hallmark of a liberal democracy." *emphasized text*
Isn't this true for minorities in Pakistan too?
@Abdul Malik:
Why drag India into this? This is not about India. And btw, whats your real name?
Isn't it just amazing that even though the article is not even remotely related to India or Indians, the comments section here is crawling with Indian trolls. Reinforces our long held belief that Indians are utterly, pathologically ,overwhelmingly and permanently obsessed with Pakistan and all matters Pakistani. Plus, they seem to have too much time on their hands.
will Pakistan give you a visa if Israeli visa is stamped on your passport?
Usman Chatta pretends not to know the reason why he was treated the way he was at Israel. Can I suggest a few ? 1. Could it be because 'Valid for travel anywhere in the world except Israel' is printed on a pakistani passport ? 2. Could it be because 90% of all terrorist events can be directly linked to pakistan ? 3.Could it be that Israel, India and US are blamed for almost every existing problem of pakistan on internet/ newspaper forums? 4, Could it be because in the rallies organized in pakistan on a daily basis, there are calls for destruction of Israel, India and US ? 5. Could it be because pakistan TV programming invariably includes discussions where 'action' is demanded, death threats are made against Israel, India and US ? Usman Chatta is under the mistaken impression that any and every country is obliged or indeed must be grateful that Usman Chatta is visiting them. It is advisable that Usman Chatta stay in his own country henceforth to avoid any disappointments.
@Haris Chaudhry
I agree. I would also point out that the Israeli Muslims have a better quality of life than the vast majority of Muslims on the planet - certainly better than Pakistan. People forget that Israel's Muslim population exceeds 20% - they have passports, voting rights, hold public office and never choose to migrate to Muslim countries. One of those "elephant in the rooms" that people are trained to ignore.
@Sam: Not entirely true. Palestinian ID holders (Palestinians in Israel) have to come in from Amman and not Ben Gurion. Muslims on other passports and not having Palestinian ID can enter through Ben Gurion though. If it is any consolation, what Lexie says is wrong.
how many of commentators here have actually seen/met an israeli or palestinian??
First happy 95th to Madiba!
@Polpot @Prabhjyot Singh Madan 3 hours ago Reply
@Prabhjyot Singh Madan: Sat Sri Akal. Tussi Dil jeet laitta ji +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well said. How can such a warm hearted person belong to a minority?
I am also a Sikh and not a minority. Punjab is as much mine and others as much Bangalore or Kolkata is or going to be forever.
I guess that is how Israelis feel about their country and want to keep it safe even at the cost of international criticism.
..Peace
@Ashok K. Moza: I beg you to come... please ...please ...please
Not true. Muslims can use Ben Gurion airport, and they do every day. All Palestinians living in Israel fly in an out of Ben Gurion. @Lexie:
indians ,indian everywhere
@Quantum: "Israeli tech companies are listed in NASDAQ." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ My Saudi Internet company bought the best billing software from an Israeli compnay. The transaction as well training was done in Jordan. Even middle eastern countries respect Israels technical prowress.
@Blunt: Where does Pakistan come from everywhere?" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ You may have heard of David Headley...an American Passport Holder but son of a Pakistani National. He travelled to India many times and is now behind bars in US serving a life sentence. Pls read more about him on google and then respect Israelis for not being stupid.
@Prabhjyot Singh Madan: Sat Sri Akal. Tussi Dil jeet laitta ji +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well said. How can such a warm hearted person belong to a minority?
My mother was raped by an Israeli soldier.
@Arindom: Having visited Israel several times and having lived in Israel for over six months in the year 2007 and 2008, I would beg to differ. I loved my time in Israel, enjoyed the food, made some great friends and took in enough history to last me a coupe of years. However, my experiences with Israeli immigration were terrible as well. They were convinced that I was either Arab or Persian since " I look like them and have a Muslim name". Despite the fact that my local sponsors are a highly reputed firm, I was detained at the airport for a good four hours and underwent ten rounds of increasingly intrusive questioning. However, I must stress that my 'interviewers' were unfailingly polite and almost apologetic.
The same charade was repeated in all of my four trips to the country. Exit from Israel was even more complicated with special screening and luggage checks being the norm for me while my non-muslim Indian colleagues breezed through exit control.
The paranoia of a police state at times like these appears to be ludicrous. They have enough and more people living here who would like to kill Israelis. The terrorists dont really need to arrange imports through Ben Gurion Airport.
I must stress that I wasn't confined to a cell. The area where fellow muslims were detained was a large and open holding area and at no time was I subjected to discourtesy. At the end, the entire process was a tad foolish and over the top.
I had a far worse experience both in terms of the quality of human interaction and the possible implication at the Green Line separating Israel from Palestine.
Finally, I found most Israelis to be likeable and affable barring a few xenophobes. And yes, I found a number of Palestinians to be xenophobes as well.
@Polpot:
Agreed. They entrepreneurs are doing great job. many Israeli tech companies are listed in NASDAQ.
@Reader: I am a Indian and a sardar Punjabi and I am not a part of minority.Kerala belongs to me the same way Indian Christian goa or east Punjab belongs to me. The person of my faith is a prime minister, army chief, planning commission head. India rocks. Sat Sri akal
"What happened to me when I landed in Jeddah" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I had a few promotional Footballs. To my utter surpsie he Immgration officer started cutting them into two halves......Later on I was told that he was looking for drugs....and footballs were a favorite device for smuggling drugs. Finally i gifted one football to the officer and rushed out of the airport.
Israel is a functioning democracy ++++++++++++++++++++++++ And its security reports are released and not leaked:). Its a leader in modern technology !
"What happened to me when I landed in Israel" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I had a smooth entry into Israel with an Indian Passport but when I was leaving the country I was asked as million questions: what was the purpose of your visit? who booked your hotels? who all did u meet......I answered all and told the yound girl asking the questions that she was stricter than my boss. A small smile played on her face. Finally I said if you dont want me to leave TelAviv than thats also fine with me. Soon I was on my way to the aircraft. PS the Immigration Officer was thoughful enough not to stamp my passport but on a separate page so that I may not face problems in travelling to middle eastern countries.
Here is a Fill the blanks exercise to get everyone's thought process going.
The very idea of a ___ state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past.
See, what I did there!
@Author: You had a British Passport imagine what would have happened if it was a Pakistani Passport ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I dont think this article would have got written.
@Reader: "Oh and get off our website :)" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ That sounds familiar. Earlier it used to be get off our Kashmir:)
All Indians pretending to be Pakistanis here, let me ask you something...Does Pakistan constently bomb its minorities, arrest minority kids, deprive them of their rights, and quarantine all of them in just one city. I dont think so. Israel is not better than Pakistan. Deal with it. Oh and get off our website :)
@p r sharma: It means that Mr. Chatta's blog passed through the proper editorial process and got published in the actual print newspaper. The "actual" newspaper is here: http://tribune.com.pk/epaper/
Blogs on any newspaper website are just on the website. They're not actually published. Nor go through the proper editorial review.
@american: How about sovereignty of other countries, including Pakistan, where your 'peace-doves' i.e. drones target its citizens every other day.
@mostafa: Where does Pakistan come from everywhere? The author was holding UK passport and was trying to visit Israel as a UK citizen.
It may be wrong in principle but we can't be utterly detached from reality either. What do you think would happen if Israel were graciously open to all? It is Israel after all! A country that inherently has to have some very, very tall walls.
You have written a very good article - though it is shocking for me to imagine the situation you faced. The discourse on 'sovereignty' is very popular these days in the academic and media circles but the pertinent part of this Sovereignty-discourse( in the context of Israeli state) is completely different. This state deals with the external world on realist lines irrespective of the international institutional mechanisms.
I wish you would continue to research and write on this discriminatory posture of the Jewish state.
Pakistan does not recognize Israel as a state..
What can you expect from a country like Israel.
It's hilarious that people think that this is okay. And for the people who say that arabs or muslims are able to go in and out of Israel via their airport are gravely mistaken. Anyone who is Muslim or arab has to enter Israel through Jordan. All Arabs or Muslims should just forget about Israel. Who wants to go there anyway? Don't give them your money and tourism.. Theirs a ton of other way better options than Israel.. That's the last place anyone should want to visit. It's seriously not that special. He should've spent his money going to greece or dubai or Italy. Israel? Blegh.
but why they did so? if they were in of view that the visitor is doubtful. they would have to refuse his entry in their own country. locked up or question for long ten hours or not giving him passport.... why? it was also possible to get him in two secret service man kept him watching during his stay in Israel. it was in their hand.
I am sorry that you had to experience such blatant racial profiling by a criminal state. Thank you for sharing your story, sadly, so many other people have experienced this exact same treatment upon arrival in Israel, and even sadder, so many more will continue to be subjected to this in the future. Our only hope lies in continuing to educate the world. This is why it is so important that you have shared your story, it empowers all of us by making us aware and more importantly by challenging this unacceptable status quo.
To all the Israeli apologists out there excusing Israel's apartheid policies, condoning it and ultimately blaming the victims who have had to endure this horrible discrimination, you should know that it is to no avail, people are today better informed and clearly see that Israel is an apartheid state that defames and undermines itself through its actions.
Mr. Chatta, your only crime is that you wanted to visit Jerusalem, shame on Israel for denying you that opportunity.
So long as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, UAE. Malaysia, Lebanon, etc. deport those with an Israeli stamp on their passport, it is perfectly fine for Israel to deport those with a Pakistani stamp on their passport.
Israelis cannot even visit Pakistan...this story sounds incredulous
@ PTI Mardan:
I bet Israel treat Ethiopian jews much better than we treated our Benagli brethren.. !!
Hmm - what exactly is Mr.Chatta's complaint here? A country denied him entry (which is perfectly in their right, by the way) and he was put on a plane to go back where he came from. I don't get it.
Here is another side of the story, a must read for everyone, and its recent too. http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/tft/article.php?issue=20130208&page=26 and reading that definitely make me suspicious why they deported you.
@author: " ... The very idea of a Jewish state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past. ... "
The same can be said about Muslim/Islamic states, no ?
I have been to Isreal several times. It has always been a pleasant experience. The country I would not even dream of visiting would be Pakistan.
@PTI Mardan:
Not true. I visited Israel last year. No such racism there. Visit for yourself and find out. OOOPS. You cannot.
@p r sharma:
exactly. Tribune seems to be running out of good reporters.
@Anas Abbas:
Agreed.
Israel treats its minorities much better than Pakistan treats its minorities. The majority of 1.3 billion muslims around the world want to see "Israel destroyed and decimated", the only homeland for jews.
I would imagine any Isareli/ jew traveling to Pakistan would most likely meet similar treatment. Dpnt forget that it was Daniel Pearl, the innocent jewish reporter who was lured into a trap by our right wing militia and then his head decapitated and the video put on youtube for the world to see.. We have short memories but others dont !
With these very strict policies and overt and covert monitoring of its citizens and visitors, Israel has been able to reduce suicide bombings and killings of its citizens from hundreds per year couple of decades ago to almost zero now.
What you have put down makes the "Bash Israeli and US bandwagon" lobby quite content but the reality is that Israel still values its own citizens and the security of its people 10 tomes more than we do. Its security apparatus is times advanced and mature, its democracy old and mature together with its institutions and its economy one of the fastest growing.
Israelis are paranoid because the whole neighbourhood around it and along with majority of the muslim ummah have swore to 'obliterate' it from the map of the planet ! This paranoia and fear coming out of visible and credible threats is justified.
I hope you are going to inform your countrymen, and their parliament, of this inhuman treatment to a British citizen. Writing to Pakistanis cannot serve any purpose.
Israel is not an apartheid state. It is worse. . Only Israel arrests five year old Palestinian kids. You call this a legitimate state? http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/07/14/313705/rights-groups-slam-israel-over-kid/
Please donot cry "Race". Your country considers Israel enemy, donot have diplomatic relations and all your citizens cry 'jihad' against Israel. Even your country's passport has the words "valid in all countries except Israel". And you were expecting to be garlanded on arrival at Jerusalem? Height of Optimism!!! Indians have never had any kind of problem in Israel. Infact Indians get very warm welcome in Israel. So no Race Card here please!! Hundreds of thousand of Israels holiday in India ( Goa and the Himalayas especially, see movie "Flipping Out")
"The very idea of a Jewish state where minorities are subjected to inferior treatment is an idea that has roots in centuries past. This ethno-religious criteria used to denominate and rank citizens is hardly the hallmark of a liberal democracy." Mr Chatta seems to be suffering from amnesia. He should perhaps ask the same question about Pakistan where minorities have almost disappeared. I get the impression that he is a student at Luton or Sussex University where all the militants are bred. As a British he should know the problems we have created in the West. If he completes his studies his main problem will start when looking for employment. Religious profiling also takes place when applying for jobs. No employer wants to hire a terrorist. My advise to him is to mislead future employers by implying that you are not a muslim.
Muslims travel to/from Israel on a regular basis which should be obvious as over 20% of their citizens are Muslim. Further, last time I looked a passport doesn't mention anything about religion. . Israel is noted for having the highest security of any country - not uncommon for them to ask more questions and do more investigations than other countries - they have also been known to exclude people associated with human rights or other organizations which have demonstrated anti Israel attitude. In short - security overrides tourism or being politically correct. . Authors comment implying that the British embassy would have handled matters differently if same thing happened in Iran is interesting and implies bias which is reflected in the entire article. I would add that in Iran he might not have been sent packing on the next flight but might still be sitting in a jail.
Israeli immigration is notorious for being a pain, blatantly racist and over reacting. But that is what a security state is. We should know.
To the Generals in Pindi: Strategic Depth Achieved. Good Job Saabs ! Let's Do More Jihad Shall We?
I agree, like it or not, Israeli sovereignty prevails.
@Author. Sorry to hear your ordeal. In Punjabi this is often called" Hor Chupo"
Seems like you went all the way to Israel just to prove your point that Israel mistreats Muslims. Israel is far better than Pakistan.
why the same content appeared in ET in opinion category which is published as author's blog.?
Israel has subjected millions of Palestinians to concentration camp conditions but that has failed to get any attention because zionists control the media.Israel is so aparthied they dont treat Ethiopian jews as first class citizens.
So tit for tat, Pakistanis hate Israelis to death & the latter too detest the former!