[Andrew66]

Over the years I’ve visited Egypt around 10 times for holidays which include Sharm , Taba and Luxor , and the people have always been friendly and mainly polite , obviously they have a very different way of life and culture than us and I’m happy to accept that , it s a shame about the turmoil they are currently going through and I wouldn’t book a holiday there at the moment but the holidays I’ve had have been enjoyable and interesting especially Luxor .
I’ve never found the pestering and hassle you get uncomfortable but I understand some people find this uncomfortable , what I have found over the years like what the OP was describing is the poor standard of airport security , it is useless and ineffective
I have visited Israel once and the security at the airport was very intense , the hotel and people seemed friendly enough , I just felt a little uncomfortable and I didn’t find the holiday that enjoyable , there seemed to be a paranoia of trusting no one , which in their position geographically I understand , it just wasn’t a comfortable atmosphere .

[FormerlyDoS]

Irons80 – 21/08/2013 21:58 GMT

Capetonian is not labelling all Israelis, just saying that the sample he met don’t make him feel like going there. My experience is different and I know some very nice Israelis, but hey-ho, we all make judgements based on the people we meet. I don’t have a great experience of Nigerians (from the small amount I have met) and don’t want to go there, but I have friends who love the country, as they have a different experience to me.

As for the differentiation between Jews and israeli’s, I’m surprised you don’t get why he says that; Not all Israeli’s are Jews and not all Jews are Israelis. There are slightly less than 7.8 million inhabitants of Israel, about 45% of the total number of people who have Judaism as their religion (and not all Israelis do.) He is specifically not judging Jews by his experience of Israelis.

Whilst I don’t agree with capetonian’s conclusion and I’ve met many more Israelis I liked, than ones I didn’t, nothing he says is offensive.

[Bullfrog]

Capetonianm clearly states his dislike of Israel.

His ignorance is his loss. Israel is a small state, no bigger than Wales, where Muslims & Christians can practice their religion safely, unlike any other Arab country to which I would also add Turkey and Iran. Israel also accepts homosexuality. Israel is not without it’s own problems, surrounded by a sea of marauding Arab countries.

In it’s 63 years it has achieved alot. Here is a link to many of the achievements from Israel.

http://www.aipac.org/why-israel-matters/israels-achievements

Capetinianm, please ensure you remove yourself from everything achieved by this wonderful state.

[capetonianm]

“I have also worked extensively in the middle east and Egypt; the educated people are generally very nice, but the uneducated masses are often as Capetonian describes.”

In fact, I have found the so-called ‘educated’ Egyptians, people in senior and managerial positions in government departments and corporations, far more arrogant and unpleasant than what one might call the uneducated people in the service industries.

Bullfrog:
“In it’s 63 years it has achieved a lot. Here is a link to many of the achievements from Israel.
Capetinianm, please ensure you remove yourself from everything achieved by this wonderful state.”

I’m not disputing their achievements, you’ve introduced a red herring. I’ve stated that I find the huge majority of Israelis that I’ve met to be dishonest, aggressive, and thoroughly unpleasant. I stand by that.

[Irons80]

Where did I say they live in perfect harmony?!
Please can you quote where I said that?

[Irons80]

Again please quote where he said they live in perfect harmony?
He did comment about homosexuality and the freedom to practise ones religion – if you live in Israel as you claim, would you be imprisoned for being a homosexual or if you tried to practise your religion? That’s the only point you need to address regarding his post.
And also what does ‘you and your likes’ mean?

[AP_Traveller]

Oh dear me.

My original post was meant to raise discussion about the state of Egyptian airport security and professionalism and perhaps encourage healthy debate about whether my experience was unusual (or not) given the current political situation.

It was not an opportunity or invitation to divert the subject onto peoples opinions of the populations of Israel, other countries (save for direct comparison), the Jewish/Christian or other religions.

I am often a silent reader of this forum, but am amazed how often such discussions end up in a farcical tit for tat argumentative banter.

Please stop the unhealthy comments and discuss the original subject, or start another subject to discuss something completely unrelated!

[Irons80]

Well, we can thank Captonianm for changing course on that front.

[Irons80]

Again, since you were referring to me in ‘your likes’, please tell me where and what I said that implied or inferred that it ‘Israel is god’s gift to humanity and that it’s blasphemy to criticize it in any way’?

[FormerlyDoS]

Irons80 – 22/08/2013 06:47 GMT

Please note that I corrected my typo some hours before your post commenting on it.

[TominScotland]

AP_Traveller

+1

[canucklad]

AP-traveller…I will try and get this somewhat back on thread…

Quite a few years ago on a trip to Malindi our flight arrived (5.00am) at Luxor to drop off passengers.

I have to admit to being rather un-nerved by the military vehicles guarding our aircraft, complete with what appeared to be sub machine guns at the ready, as it re-fuelled for the next leg to Mombasa.

Put me off visiting Egypt, I’m afraid….

In your case ,I’m also sure that their main concern, unfortunately isn’t so much in the terminal area…the Egyptians probably racially profile the risk inside the perimeter …..What would scare the beejeezus out of me most if I was flying into these “hot spots” is the potential for a fanatical group that blames everything on the liberal west to take down an airliner with a SAM.

Sadly, we all to a greater or lesser extent judge peoples by our experiences, and belief systems….
I’ have to remind myself that not all South African’s behave or have the very offensive views of the Afrikaner ranchers I met in Hong Kong…..or the students I met from Quebec who were so rude & hated me because of my BC routes…..or the fundamental Christians I met in Edinburgh ,from Indiana who actually hated everybody whose views were left of George Bush !!

Sadly, too many of our fellow global citizens want to dictate to me how I need to think and live!

[dutchyankee]

@Irons80 – 22/08/2013 08:29 GMT

`Well, we can thank Captonianm for changing course on that front.`

Really, for voicing an opinion that he does not want to visit Israel, BullFrog goes on a rampage spouting all the glory and good of Israel, and that somehow his comments are a veiled attack on Jews.

He is welcome to his opinion. And having been to Israel often I can say that while I love Tel Aviv and it is a vibrant exciting city, Jerusalem for me is depressing, oppressive, and full of horrible, nasty, unfriendly, ultra religious zealots who make any visitor feel uncomfortable. Most secular Jews I have spoken to say the same. And as for Israel`s supposed support of gay rights, this is done very begrudgingly by the Israeli government as a people who have been persecuted can not be seen to persecute others on the basis of their sexuality. The religious israelis would like nothing more than to reverse any gains the gay community has had in Israel, and outlaw them completely. Likewise, as the greatest benefactor of US aid, military and otherwise, Israel must adhere to American norms when dealing with religious freedoms and sexuality, and do not do this out of some charitable desire, but just because they have to!

This was a thread about the state of the airport security in Hurghada and BullFrog has brought this into a political discussion, not capetonian.

[Irons80]

@dutchyankee
What planet are you on?
Please quote where “I go on a rampage spouting all the glory and good of Israel, and that somehow his comments are a veiled attack on Jews?”
And if you are referencing Israel in regard to political and religious attitudes, perhaps in the interests of balance, you may wish to include some other countries too?
@capetoniamn – ‘I’ have to remind myself that not all South African’s behave or have the very offensive views of the Afrikaner ranchers I met in Hong Kong…..or the students I met from Quebec who were so rude & hated me because of my BC routes…..or the fundamental Christians I met in Edinburgh ,from Indiana who actually hated everybody whose views were left of George Bush !!” – why does that apply for other countries whose citizens you come into contact with and not Israel?

[dutchyankee]

@Irons80 – 22/08/2013 09:02 GMT

Sorry Irons, you are correct, it was BullFrog spouting. However, it certainly isn`t Capetonian who brought this topic into the political arena.

Apologies again, and edited above to correct this.

That said, I live here, on earth.

[Author]

Posts