I was detained at a US airport and asked about Israel and Gaza for 2 hours. Why? | Ilan Pappé - eviltoast

I was held for two hours. The first round of questions was about my views on Hamas. Then the agents wished to know whether I thought Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip amount to genocide and what I think of the slogan “Palestine should be free from the river to the sea”. I said yes, I do think Israel is committing genocide. As to the slogan, I said that in my view people anywhere in the world should be free.

Then the agents interrogated me about who I know in the Arab American and Muslim American community. They asked me to provide them with telephone numbers, took my phone away for quite a long period and asked to wait until they made some phone calls before they let me go.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Wow, there is really some shit going on in USA, we would usually only expect from a totalitarian regime, and absolutely not from a democracy.

    • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Wow, there is really some shit going on in USA, we would usually only expect from a totalitarian regime, and absolutely not from a democracy.

      The biggest issue is that the Biden administration is laying the pavement like they are.

    • juicy@lemmy.todayOP
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      6 months ago

      Well that’s what we get for letting Trump win… Huh? What’s that? Biden is still President?

        • juicy@lemmy.todayOP
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          6 months ago

          Presidential administrations have a huge amout of discretion in how they administer the law in our system. Just look at the way border security processes constantly change despite no new legislation being passed. And you know that very well. If Trump was in office, you would absolutely put the blame at his feet.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        AFAIK the basis for these checks were established under Bush. So mostly designed by Republicans and not democrats.

        • CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          Damn it’s so sad no democrat president was elected before yesterday, but now that a non fascist is in power I’m sure those unjust laws will be repealed any second