It was reported in the WSJ.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/08/06/donna-shalala-detained-interrogated-at-israeli-airport/?blog_id=24&post_id=22630

What's more revealing are readers' responses.  It's unbelievable.

Anthony



On Sat, Aug 7, 2010 at 4:44 PM, Jim Devine <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hmmmm..... this story doesn't appear in today's NY TIMES (either in
> print or on line). I wonder why.
>
> On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 1:30 PM, Joseph Catron <[email protected]> wrote:
> > American VIP humiliated at airport
> >
> > Prof. Donna Shalala, Clinton's secretary of health, arrives in Israel
> > in order to fight academic boycott against Israel, claims she was held
> > at Ben-Gurion Airport just because she has Arab last name
> >
> > Itamar Eichner
> > Published:      08.06.10, 13:17 / Israel News
> >
> > This is not how she imagined her visit to Israel. Prof. Donna Shalala,
> > who served as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services for eight
> > years under Clinton and is currently the president of the University
> > of Miami, was held for two-and-a-half hours at Ben Gurion Airport
> > during which she underwent a humiliating security debriefing because
> > of her Arab last name – all this despite the fact that her hosts
> > notified the airport ahead of time that she is a VIP.
> >
> > The fact that Shalala arrived in Israel as part of an official
> > delegation of the heads of universities fighting against the academic
> > boycott against the Jewish State also seemed not to help her.
> >
> > Shalala, 69, was born in the US to Lebanese immigrant parents. She is
> > considered a true friend of Israel and has visited the country many
> > times in the past.
> >
> > She recently arrived in Israel as a guest of the American Jewish
> > Congress with the objective of increasing collaboration among
> > universities in Israel, the US, and the Palestinian Authority. During
> > their visit, members of the delegation met with President Shimon
> > Peres, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, and Palestinian Prime
> > Minister Salam Fayyad.
> >
> > The official visit ended on July 12, but Shalala stayed on for another
> > two days for a private visit.
> >
> > The AJC claims that it notified the Israel Airports Authority of
> > Shalala's VIP status as is customary prior to her departure. However,
> > the IAA claims that it has no record on file for Shalala prior to her
> > arrival.
> >
> > When Shalala arrived at the airport, she was not recognized as a VIP
> > and was even afforded what she claims to be "special" treatment
> > because of her Arab last name. She claims she was held for
> > two-and-a-half hours during which she was asked invasive and
> > humiliating personal questions. Despite the delay, she managed to
> > board the flight to the US. Officials who spoke with her said she was
> > deeply offended by the treatment she received.
> >
> > An IAA spokesperson reported in response: "This incident is unknown to
> > us. We performed a thorough check. There was no contact made with us
> > or any other body. No unusual events were registered at Ben Gurion
> > Airport, and we have no idea about this incident, which, from our
> > perspective, never happened."
> >
> > IAA officials said that root of the problem is that the host
> > organizations don't bother accompanying their guests to the airport.
> >
> > The incident was raised Wednesday during a discussion convened by
> > Deputy Foreign Ministry Ayalon to discuss treatment of VIPs at Ben
> > Gurion Airport. During the discussion, it was agreed that a new
> > protocol will be drafted that will keep incidents to a minimum.
> >
> > Shalala preferred not to comment on the article.
> >
> > http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3931210,00.html
> >
> > --
> > "Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure
> > mægen lytlað."
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> Jim Devine
> "All science would be superfluous if the form of appearance of things
> directly coincided with their essence." -- KM
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>



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Anthony P. D'Costa
Professor of Indian Studies and Research Director
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Copenhagen Business School
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