Studies show that US coverage is Israeli-centric. The main bureaus for CNN, Associated Press, Time, etc. are located in Israel and often staffed by Israelis. The son of the NY Times bureau chief is in the Israeli army;"pundit" Jeffrey Goldberg served in the IDF; Wolf Blitzer worked for AIPAC. Because the U.S. gives Israel over $8 million/day - more than to any other nation - we feel it is essential that we be fully informed on this region. Below are news reports to augment mainstream coverage.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Israeli officials strip-search at gunpoint Palestinian-British female political artist at Ben Gurion Airport

IMEMC - On Saturday September 4th British-born Palestinian Political Hip Hop artist, Shadia Mansour, was held at gunpoint by airport security and intelligence officers.

Ms. Mansour was told to return to her luggage after a usual baggage xray and multiple searches, when eight agents ran towards her, weapons drawn and pointed, they aggressively kicked away her bags and surrounded her.

The eight agents had their guns pointed at Ms. Mansour while having her stand in the same position for one hour in suspicion of a bomb being planted in her microphone which they had in their possession for ten minutes already.

Ms. Mansour assured the agents the microphone was used for recording music and was then asked by an officer to sing her lyrics to him, they screamed at her and asked "who she worked for, who bought the microphone, what does she sing about" and as the agents and officers shouted over one another she was also told, "we have found something planted in the microphone" all this transpiring while airport goers observed the entire ordeal.

Although standard for Palestinians to be strip searched upon departure of Israel, Ms Mansour was made to lay down on her back as female agents pushed aggressively into her joints and neck. Once the female agents finished searching her the microphone was returned and Ms. Mansour was directed to her flight en route to London as though nothing had happened.

"For a few minutes I really thought they were going to take my life, the way they handled the situation literally made me feel like I was an attempted suicide bomber that had just been captured or something". Ms. Mansour commented on the incident. No legal action has yet been taken.

Related stories:

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An If Americans Knew Investigation: Humiliation and Child Abuse at Israeli Borders & Airports – Strip-Searching Children

Democracy Now: Please tell your audience about Israeli strip searches...