Turkey is a beautiful country and suitable for family tourism. But Turkey's old, and new, problem is that some passport and tourist officials, especially in Istanbul, have two sets of rules for dealing with tourists. One set for American, European and Israeli tourists, and the other for Saudis and other Gulf tourists.
The recent aggression at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul against a Saudi family falls under the second rule.
I have followed the Saudi father's story on a satellite news channel. I also read the comments of the adviser to the Turkish prime minister about the incident on Twitter, and read the version of events from the Saudi Embassy in Ankara. In all cases, I do not see any justification for a group of employees at Ataturk Airport to beat up a Saudi woman and her children in this brutal manner.
The airport staff detained family members separately and, according to the reports, beat them. They prevented the Saudi from seeing his wife and children before they were forcibly deported without even allowing them to obtain medical reports attesting to the severity of their injuries.
Can all this happen simply because a family stood at the window for those with disabilities, according to the Turkish version of events?
I am sorry to say that if the woman was an American, European or Israeli, the airport staff would never have dared to act this way. Even with Turkey behind them, the employees would not have dared to raise an eyebrow, let alone beat her in front of her children.
This is the bitter fact, clear and simple: This “Ottoman” anger only exploded in the face of a Saudi woman, their partner in religion and culture. Even the most serious charge of terrorism would not have necessitated a brutal beating in front of others.
Airport staff could have directed the Saudi family in a civilized and a polite manner. They could have detained and investigated the family or even deported them, sending them back on the same flight on which they arrived.
The beatings the Saudi family received and reports that airport staff prevented other Saudi travelers from intervening are very regrettable. The Saudi family did not commit a grave mistake that would necessitate such brutal treatment.
It is the duty of our embassy in Turkey to follow up this case to the very end. Saudi tourists should show solidarity with each other by not being too eager to visit Turkey next year. When Saudis stop traveling to Turkey, it will be a clear message to Turkish authorities that we no longer will bear savage treatment at any Turkish airport.
Saudis typically travel to Turkey as tourists. Turkey needs to realize that though it is beautiful and attractive to visit, it is not the only tourist spot in the world that Saudis can go to for tourism.
We often go to Turkey on annual vacation because it is a beautiful country and we feel close to the Turkish people. But if our closeness and affinity with Turkey is meet with pointed sticks at airports — beating, kicking, detention and deportation — then there is no need to go there. We may better save our money and dignity.
