Security and shaving gel

By paraphrasing the adage “You can’t have too much insurance” with “You can’t have too much security,” I’m sure to arouse a comment or two. Exaggerated caution can be more of a burden than a boon. Even in the Middle East repetitive checks and screenings can be annoying. On the other hand I’m equally annoyed when security is lax. A case in point occurred this morning when I went to the open-air market in Afula (our throbbing local metropolis).

A few years ago the market was relocated to a more spacious and securer site on the perimeter of the town. At the entrance to the market a bored security guard waved me through without checking the contents of my bag. When I volunteered to open it he declined my offer but nevertheless asked me if I was carrying a weapon.

On the way out in the parking lot I met Mustafa an old friend and neighbour. Mustafa Zoabi, hails from Neura, an Arab village close to Ein Harod. I wondered if Mustafa and his wife had also been waved through by the security guard.

By contrast the very professional screening we encountered at Ben Gurion air terminal two weeks ago when we flew to Oslo was thorough and swift.

A few years ago Bob Simon praised the security at Ben Gurion air terminal in a counter terrorism programme he presented for the CBS television news magazine “60 Minutes.”

As I recall Simon focused on the combination of well trained security personnel, sophisticated scanners and intelligent profiling employed at the Tel Aviv airport.

While we were away I was twice the victim of too much security. Instead of packing my toiletry bag in our large suitcase I carried it with me in an overnight bag. The scanner identified a shaving gel canister as a potential security threat, my bag was opened and the canister was confiscated. I blamed myself for the oversight and bought another canister in Lillehammer. On the return journey I was careful to pack the toiletries bag in the large suitcase, however due to an unknown luggage limitation imposed by the airline we had to repack to avoid paying an excess fine. In the repacking process which involved some ingenuity and a lot of brute force applied to the single suitcase the toiletry bag was inadvertently placed in the overnight shoulder bag. Well the Norwegian scanner homed in on my new shaving gel canister and a gleeful Norwegian security officer removed it and consoled me with a brief apology. Maybe I should grow a beard.

A few weeks ago at the height of the Gaza flotilla drama I read a public opinion survey conducted in Norway. According to the survey 40% of the respondents interviewed said they would not buy Israeli goods. Since I don’t place much trust in P.O. surveys I wasn’t concerned about meeting the 40% selective purchasers.

It’s possible that we met the apathetic, disinterested or even sympathetic 60% of the Norwegians who were helpful and accommodating. Whenever I spoke to rank and file Norwegians I intentionally identified myself as an Israeli. Not once did my identity provoke any critical response. On one occasion we were greeted enthusiastically by a very nice Norwegian woman who was proud to use her five-word Hebrew vocabulary. In spite of the 40% conscientious shoppers Norwegians are nice!

In Molde we met up with three expatriates – Herzl and Eshel from Ein Harod and Herzl’s wife Hildagunn . Hildagunn of course is Norwegian but her fluent Hebrew helps qualify her as an expatriate.

The conversation over coffee and Norwegian waffles at Eshel’s home focused on security ( at that time my one forfeited canister of shaving gel) and drifted to a local incident. It seems that an Israeli expert on counter-terrorism, mainly methods of countering roadside bombs had been invited to deliver a paper on his particular field of expertise at a Norwegian conference on counter-terrorism. A last minute intervention by a local anti-Israel political group caused the conference organisers to cancel the invitation. Ironically four Norwegian soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb about the time the conference was being convened. Our host Eshel Tzur wrote a letter of protest to a local newspaper complaining about the stupidity of narrow political interests overriding real security concerns.

Norway is beautiful! The mountains, lakes, rivers waterfalls and fjords are overwhelming. I photographed more than I can possibly condense into a travelogue of our visit and now I am having a hard job editing the material.

Back home we discovered little had changed. There’s another government crisis over the defence budget. An amicable compromise will be found and our impossible coalition government will somehow manage to survive.

The Gilad Shalit protest march seems to have ended with a whimper. The Libyan “Free Gaza” relief ship docked at El Arish and won’t be going to Gaza after all.

I found the current issue of Jane’s Defence Weekly in my mail box at work.

It featured a lead interview Yedidya Ya’ari, chief executive officer of Rafael advanced defence systems. Rafael is the developer and manufacturer of the “Iron Dome” counter rocket system. By the end of August this year the Israel Defence Force is scheduled to achieve initial operational capability with its first two Iron Dome systems. When that happens Israel will be the first country in the world with an operational short-range rocket defence system. “David’s Sling,” another system being developed by Rafael is expected to become operational in 2013. David’s Sling is designed to meet strategic threats posed by medium range missiles.

These particular systems as well as others being developed are primarily intended to meet our own defence and security needs. Israel’s relatively large defence budget has its limits. It can’t possible be the sole market for new armaments under development Moreover, the minister of finance is determined to shave off some of the surplus from the defence budget. Israel’s military industries are well aware of possible cuts in defence expenditure, so bearing this in mind and cognizant of lucrative foreign demands for Israeli weapons and defence systems, they are increasing their efforts to export battle-tested products as well as new systems like the Iron Dome. Of course all military exports have to be approved by the ministry of defence.

In another issue of Jane’s Defence Weekly the magazine’s local correspondent Yaakov Katz reported of a change of mind regarding exports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia. Katz wrote about an agreement reached between Russia and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to purchase 12 reconnaissance UAVs scheduled for delivery in September this year.

During the 2008 conflict with Georgia over South Ossetia, Georgia operated another type of UAV- Elbit Systems Hermes 450. The Russians learnt the value of UAVs from that conflict and since then have tried to acquire UAVs from IAI.

The negotiations which began earlier this year have stopped “pending a reassessment.” UAVs sold to Russia in the past are older models and pose no threat to Israel if Russia resells them to a non- friendly third party. However newer versions are another matter. Israel’s decision to freeze the sales negotiations stems from concern about Russia’s ties with Syria and Iran.

In sensitive matters of this nature you can’t be too careful.

Have a good weekend.

Beni 15^th of July, 2010.