Departure gate at Ben-Gurion airport
Departure gate at Ben-Gurion airportFlash 90

In the wake of Tuesday’s horrific bombing attacks at a Brussels airport and subway station, officials at the Israel Airports Authority have been inundated with dozens of requests for assistance in securing airports around the globe.

Security agencies and airport authorities in Europe, North America, and Africa have contacted Israel looking for advice on how to prevent tragedies like yesterday’s Zaventem airport bombing.

“There’s been a jump over the last 24 hours in the number of requests we’ve received in the area of airport security,” a senior Airports Authority official told Walla News on Wednesday.

“The focus of these requests is [a desire] to learn Israel’s strategies for assessing travelers. The requests have come from all different levels.”

Israel’s unique airport security system has long been held up as a model of effective surveillance and screening. Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Israeli security forces including the Shin Bet and Israel Airports Authority were called upon to assist a number of countries find ways to bolster airport security and implement more effective screening measures for passengers bordering plane.

In contrast to the American model of airport security adopted after the 9/11 attacks, which rely on extensive checks of all but a few pre-screened passengers, Israeli security uses highly trained security specialists to monitor and assess the behavior of individuals from the moment they enter the building.

Reactions to questions, body language, facial expressions, all give security personnel a clear indication of who represents a potential threat – and who is just a traveler.