Israeli prime minister refused to remove shoes at airport check

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[ambrose]

Israeli prime minister refused to remove shoes at airport check

January 16, 2002, 5:10 PM EST

NEWARK, N.J. -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak refused to remove his shoes at a security checkpoint at Newark International Airport and was ultimately allowed to board a flight to Washington, according to a published report.

Barak's bodyguard argued with screeners making the request at the Continental Airlines gate last week, the Israeli daily Maariv reported Wednesday.

The bodyguard showed security officials that Barak carries a diplomatic passport with "former prime minister" on it, the newspaper said.

Continental spokesman Jeff Awalt said Wednesday, "The gate agents were doing their jobs, following the security rules for the safety of all the customers and crew. They did not have any information as to the prime minister's identity."

"He arrived just before departure, after other passengers had boarded," Awalt said, speaking from the airline's Houston headquarters. "We've since apologized to Mr. Barak and his staff for any concerns they may have that he was not extended appropriate courtesies.

"My understanding is that former Prime Minister Barak was understanding and gracious about this security process," he said.

Awalt said the screening was done by a private company, Gateway Security, and that additional security measures are taken for flights heading to Washington.

He could not immediately provide the flight or day that Barak was flying to Reagan National Airport.

"It was a situation where standard security procedures were applied. Everyone boarding the aircraft is hand-wanded. Other procedures, other measures are also in effect, but I can't talk about those or discuss anything about the selection process, as a matter of ensuring security," Awalt said.

Airport police were not involved, said Alan Hicks, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

Efforts to reach Gateway Security were not immediately successful. A listing for the company in Newark rang unanswered.

Barak, 59, who lost a re-election bid in February, has not complained to the Israeli embassy in Washington, embassy spokesman Mark Regev said, and the embassy has not complained to Continental.

"Israelis understand very well the need for airline security. Security in our country is, of course, very high. Israeli passengers are very familiar with the new procedures being put into effect in American airports," Regev said.

Footwear checks have become more common since Briton Richard Reid was subdued Dec. 22 on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami and accused of trying to light explosives hidden in his sneakers. He is being held in Boston.

Maariv said Barak was in the United States for meetings with Electronic Data Systems Corp., a Plano, Texas-based computer services company that signed the former Israeli leader as an adviser in September.

___P>

On the Net: Maariv (in Hebrew): http://www.maariv.co.il/

[onedoug]

My understanding is that former Prime Minister Barak was understanding and gracious about this security process," he said.

Were that the case, we likely wouldn't be reading this.

[thucydides]

Precious security resources are wasted shaking down obvious non-risks in order to avoid any appearance of profiling of those likely to commit atrocities. How long before political correctness kills innocent victims?

[TopQuark]

Were that the case, we likely wouldn't be reading this. Don't you think that if there was anything more, the author would include that?

They merely included it because a few days ago there was an incident with a congressman, so while the focus of the country is on that they hammaer at it. That's all; that's how they work.

[TopQuark]

They should deport him. And I'm not being sarcastic. Even the powerful should be made to suffer the indignities of airport travel. The more they suffer, the sooner any problems will be addressed. Diplomatic passports should not be free passes through airport security. Whence the anger, SeaMole?

[princess leah]

He must have foot fungus and is too embarassed it might be made public!

[horsewhispersc]

what you said Ditto!

[eclectic]

Even the powerful should be made to suffer the indignities of airport travel.

Yeah, right. Inept attempts at airport security should become so bothersome that they would be scaled back and then terrorist can sneak in again undeterred. Can you spell "Profiling"?

[RCW2001]

The real outrage should be with "Continental Airlines" for allowing it to happen.

If you wish to contact us for general information, and or about your flight experience, please use the information listed here. Please include your name, address and OnePass account number in all correspondence and e-mail. Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines. We appreciate your business.

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[Tymesup]

Let the lords endure the same indignities as we peons. I remember all the times Clinton used to visit New York and tie up traffic.

[Bahbah]

I make a nice chocolate mousse.

[RS]

"The bodyguard showed security officials that Barak carries a diplomatic passport with "former prime minister" on it"

So What ? Holding a Diplomaitic Passport and having Diplomatic Immunity are two different things.
Even Diplomatic Immunity does not force Continental to allow someone on their planes. -- Let him take the bus !

[Michael2001]

Barak is a moron