Airport security is a very touchy subject for most Americans. Some say loosen security measures, while others say to tighten them. The department of Homeland Security should completely and totally alter the way we do airport security.

The Transportation Security Administration needs to be proactive about threats, not reactive like we are now. If a terrorist tactic fails, chances are that it will not be used again. Just like other people, terrorists grow and learn from failures and try out new tactics. What Homeland Security should focus on is not past threats, but threats that might occur in the future.

We should take a hint from the Israelis and protect our airports like they protect their airports, the largest of which is El Al. For example, every passenger, no matter how old or innocent looking, is interviewed before getting on a flight. If the passenger acts strangely, or fits a suspicious profile, the interview will take longer. But the inconvenience has made Israeli airports some of the safest in the world.

Unlike the minimum wage employees our airports hire as security guards, El Al guards are highly trained and incredibly skilled. Israeli guards must speak a minimum of two languages, must have an education, must be trained in classrooms for a long period of time, and must receive on the job training with a supervisor for weeks to be able to convince and cooperate with passengers. The guards know how to handle a dangerous situation with a detached and calm air. Unlike many of our guards, they act professionally. Somehow, I doubt that such highly skilled and trained people would plant a bag of white powder on a passenger as a “prank.”

For decades, Israel has faced numerous threats from Muslim countries. Despite this, their airports are some of the safest in the world. Maybe we should use some of their ideas for our own security, instead of using our current, flawed system.