[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: While there may be a problem, one can only wonder
if the problem is that Israel doesn't follow the American PC practice of
randomly subjecting 90 year old WASP grannies traveling with their
grandchildren with the same intensive search as a group of randomly chosen
22 year old Arabs.]

U.S. officials: Israeli border authorities harass Arab Americans
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Last update - 05:08 18/09/2007
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/904785.html

American officials have complained recently that Israeli immigration
authorities harass American citizens of Arab origin at Israeli border
crossings.

During meetings between senior State Department officials and their
counterparts in Israel, the Americans said that in recent months there has
been a troubling increase in the number of complaints by American citizens
of Palestinian and Arab origin, regarding the treatment they receive at
border crossings and airports in Israel.

The Americans complained about long delays, a suspicious attitude, and
degrading security checks.

The State Department officials stressed that Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice was very perturbed by this issue and said they expected immediate
improvement.

They also warned their Israeli counterparts that unless there was a change,
they would update the travel warning for Americans visiting Israel to
include a statement that "Israel harasses American citizens of Arab and
Palestinian origin."