Ben Gurion airport security guards withheld an electric guitar of Apo Sahagian, an Armenian musician from Eastern Jerusalem, before his departure for a tour in UK.

Apo Sahagian, the lead singer of Apo and the Apostles, told Jewish News that security officials held his guitar back for further testing, promising that it would be on the next EasyJet flight to Luton, but after three days there was still no sign.

The musician said the reason for security guard’s behavior could be the fact that he is from Bethlehem.

“I’m an East Jerusalumite – they treat us like a virus,” he said adding that he has an Israeli ID card and travel documents.

Sahagian, an Armenian, managed to complete the band’s UK tour by borrowing a guitar. The musician said the airline told him his guitar was still with Ben-Gurion security team, but Ofer Lefler, a spokesman for the Airports Authority, denied this.