Israeli troops raided a West Bank refugee camp today and arrested hundreds of Palestinians. Tanks surrounded the Ain Beit Ilma refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus, as jeeps and armored personnel carriers drove through the main street. Troops using loudspeakers called on all males between the ages of 15 and 50 to come out of their homes. Troops smashed their way through the walls of houses, and barred foreign journalists from entering. The Washington Post is reporting some 400 men were taken away in buses.

Israeli-style “security” may come to the U.S. Two weeks ago, Israel’s Shin Bet security service instructed a delegation from the New York Police Department on how to deal with suicide bombings. Law enforcement officials from Georgia and California have traveled to Israel over the last several weeks for seminars on security and to study an Israeli paramilitary border police unit. Israel plans to host a convention of US police commissioners sometime later this year.

But while Israel’s security forces are widely reputed to be among the best in the world, not everyone in Israel agrees that the country offers a model of how to reconcile security with democracy.

Shlomo Dror has been spokesman for the Israeli defense ministry and spokesman for an Israeli government agency responsible for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He joined the Shin Bet, Israel’s security force, 23 years ago and has been in charge of security for embassies and El Al airline on three continents. Shortly after September 11th, Dror joined with US partners with experience in the Marines and CIA to form New World Security, a New York-based company that offers advice on securing buildings and air travel.

Guests:

• Shlomo Dror, Israeli security specialist and founder of the new US-based home security company, New World Security.
• Hashem Mahameed, member of the Israeli Knesset for the left-leaning Hadesh party.

Related link:

• Israeli Knesset

Music:

• Superimposition/Kafi–Paranoise, ISHQ (Ancient Records CD).