Israel is ‘becoming a full-blown police state,’ Reza Aslan says after interrogation at border

Reza Aslan

Reza Aslan shared his story on Twitter. Here it is, from Mondoweiss:

“… Peter Beinart, the liberal Zionist writer, disclosed that he had been detained at Ben Gurion airport on August 12 for an hour of questioning of his political opinions/activities. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promptly released an unprecedented statement saying the detention had been a mistake, and Beinart said he would accept Netanyahu’s apology only if he apologized to Palestinians who are subjected to far worse. Many Zionists have responded angrily to the news by saying that the country is damaging itself in the eyes of the world by harassing leftleaning Jews who want to visit. And the Israeli attorney general says she is looking into the detention incidents.  

… Reza Aslan, the bestselling writer on religion who was born in Iran and lives in LA, was moved by Beinart’s experience to tell his own story on twitter“…

“2 weeks ago, as I was crossing back into Israel from Jordan, I was separated from my family and detained by Shin Bet. ‘We can make it so you don’t see your kids for a long time’ I was warned. This is what happened next.

The Shin Bet lady, who already knew everything about me and my family’s journey around the world, began with ‘You think because you’re a public person I can’t do whatever I want with you?’ I was floored. This is how interrogations begin in police states.

‘Why do you hate Israel?’ She asked. ‘I don’t hate Israel,’ I replied. ‘But you hate our Prime Minister.’ ‘I’m sorry is your Prime Minister Israel?’ ‘He was democratically elected!’ (No he wasn’t but let’s just drop that) ‘So was Trump and I hate him and still love America.’

‘Oh I know all about you and Trump,’ she spat. I forgot the Israeli Right Wing’s affection for our racist Neo-Nazi loving president. ‘You don’t think Israel should exist yes?’ That’s absurd. I’m against the occupation not Israel. Then the police state part began in earnest.

Write down names of Palestinians you know Write down names of journalists you associate with Write down names of Palestinian organizations you support And constantly, repeatedly, this threat: ‘if you don’t cooperate it will be a long time before you see your kids again.'” (More…)