Ethnic Profiling In Airport Screening: Lessons From Israel, 1968–2010

Abstract

We interviewed a random sample of 918 passengers — 308 Israeli Jews, 306 Palestinians who are Israeli citizens (Israeli Arabs), and 304 non-Israelis — post check-in, at Ben-Gurion Airport, in an effort to learn about the individual and social cost incurred by the Israeli Arabs going through the security process. The article discusses what we learned from the survey and draws some policy implications. This is the first time such a survey was administered.

Keywords: Profiling, Terror, Israel, National Security, Cost Benefit Analysis, Airport Security Checks, Ben Gurion Airport