Ben Gurion International Airport and the aircraft taking off and landing there, constitute a prime target for attack by the various terrorist organizations.

The Government of Israelhas placed in the hands of the Airports Authority and the Management of the Airport, the responsibility for the physical security of the airport, the responsibility for the prevention of attacks on an aircraft taking off from the airport and the responsibility for the prevention of the smuggling of weapons into the State of Israel via passenger aircraft.

The Security Division of Ben Gurion International Airport is responsible for the execution of these missions, and it is guided in the professional aspect by two entities: The Israel Security Service (formerly known as the GSS) and the Israel Police – each in its own field.

The Division is made up of two operational wings: The checkers wing and the security wing. The checkers wing is responsible for the security checking of passengers and is under the professional guidance of the ISS. The security check is carried out mostly using the leading, most sophisticated technological means in the world in this field.

The security wing is responsible for the physical security of the terminal buildings, the aviation areas and the public areas and is guided professionally by a staff, headed by the Divisional Manager. The departments comprising the staff are the training department, the licensing and administration department, data security and security screening department, planning and control department and security technologies department.

The majority of the personnel in the division are employees of the Airports Authority, although contract workers fill some of the positions.

The personnel in the operational wings are employed under contracts limited to a number of years, and the majority are students on part time assignments.

Screening and recruiting of personnel is carried out by the recruitment department of the Airports Authority, in conjunction with the Security division and the guiding entities. Emphasis is placed on quality personnel with 12 years of education who have undergone military service. All the candidates for the job also undergoa job-suitability assessment,  carried out by an external company specializing in the assessment and the placement of personnel.

The training department of the Division de facto carries out the majority of the basic training for the various jobs, with the exception of the training of security guards, which is carried out partly by the Airport Authority Security School and partly by the ISS security school.

In addition to the basic training, every employee must conform, during the period of his employment, to a yardstick of professional missions that defines training days and refresher courses, mission specific training, professional supervision and examinations.

The training department coordinates and controls all the processes of operational fitness using sophisticated computerized systems.

The positions offered by the Security Division and the conditions of acceptance for them:

Security guards – 12 years of education, a graduate of a commander’s course, and after full military service, satisfactory physical health, a driver’s license, English speaker at a reasonable level, residing in the greater Tel Aviv or Jerusalem area.

Security checkers – 12 years of education, military service, English at a high level, satisfactory physical health, residing in the greater Tel Aviv or Jerusalem area, a commitment to one year’s full time work.

Perimeter security unit – Combatants after full military service, 12 years of education, satisfactory physical health, excellent physical fitness, English at a reasonable level, a driver’s license, residing in the greater Tel Aviv or Jerusalem area.

X - ray identifiers – 12 years of education, satisfactory physical health, English at a reasonable level, residing in the center of the country, military / national service, a commitment to one year’s work.

Back