So on the way to the Allenby Bridge, Peter tells us that Israeli security will ask questsions at the airport. He tells us just to tell them the truth. He lets us kinow they'll examine us extra carefully for staying in Bethylehem and not somewhere in West Jerusalem. So after arriving 20 minutes late and bickering over the prearranged fare, the driver finally is taking us to the airport (I didn't realize that Israel had only one airport, which is in Tel Aviv.). The cabbie tries to tell us to tell the Security checkpoint that we're coming from Jerusalem -- he says it will be easier.
We decide we prefer to go with the truth. Now they've stopped this guy at every possible checkpoint, and it's pretty clear they're doing it because he is Palestinian. The stop us at the security checkpoint before the airport (yea, on the highway headed to the airport), and they snatch his ID, and tell us to come over because they want to talk to us. Some little boy comes up to me and asks "where are you coming from?" I don't think twice before answering "New York. We're going home!" The guy then says "they are your friends?" I say "we were on a tour." And they let us go. I was so glad to be headed stateside that the location in Israel was of no consequence to me. Just get me HOME!!!
So at the airport, we had to have our luggage scanned BEFORE we could get to the ticket counter. They opened up my laptop and sent it through some machine, and they marked one of my bags for followup. I went to the counter. Without even opening the bag, the guy goes, "you bought mud and salt from the Dead Sea?" I told him yes. He asked me where I got it from. I told him I didn't remember, at some place where we stopped on the Dead Sea (which was actually a lie. I got it at Johnny's in Bethlehem, but since I was intent on taking it home, and since it was in the same packaging as the ones on the Dead Sea, I was not about to tell him I got it from a Palestinian shop). He asked me if anyone steered me to it or picked it out for me. I told him I saw it on the shelf, put it in my bag, and paid for it. He let me go.
After that, we had to go through customs and regular gate security -- I forget in what order. But we got to the airport 3.5 hours early, and it took us a good three hours to get through security. While I understand Israel's preoccupation with security, I can't help but think that, as payback for the Holocaust, they've turned into a nation that mimics some of the worst attributes of the Nazis. I know some of y'all are going to be mad at me for saying that, but it's what I think. Go back to the discussion from the guys in Jerusalem, about how Israel uses the Holocaust as both a shield and a sword.
What's especially disturbing to me is seeing the number of dark-skinned pepole they stop, or when you see that they stop you and don't really check anything, or when you give them your passport and they don't even look at it. I've also noticed that if you make eye contact with cute guys and give them that "I'm flirting with you but I really shouldn't be" look, things generally go easier (another tactic is admiring their bodies when you know they're looking at you but they don't know you know). If you openly flirt with them, they'll shut down, but if you feign interest in a way not obvious to them, they are complimented. Everywhere you go, men are still men.
So I'm on the flight as I write this, really upset to be stuck in a middle seat. I'm even more upset because 1) it's a DL flight, I'm a DL frequent flier and they know my preferences; 2) I tried to select my seat in advance and the stupid iphone app wouldn't let me. I BIG MINUS SIGN for delta, even though the guy beside me is fairly cute and seems nice enough. I'm happy the person with the window seat hasn't shown up yet, but they say it's a full flight.....
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That was the end of what I wrote on the plane. The guy beside me did show up and sprawled all over the seat as he slept all the way to NYC. We got home without incident. And even though I've had this stomach illness since Jerusalem, I'm thrilled to have gone, and can't wait til my next trip back!!!
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