When is a security wall not a wall?

Question: When is a security wall not a wall?

Answer: When it's not built by the Israelis.

Shiraz Maher writes in Standpoint that:

"you could be mistaken for thinking that Israel's decision to defend itself in this way was unprecedented. Yet, not only is this wrong but, ironically, a lot of the physical barriers currently in place are located in the ‘Muslim world'.

The Saudi-Yemeni border is just one place where a physical barrier is used by a Muslim regime to defend itself against ‘smuggling' and ‘terrorism'.

...

Once the Saudi government lost confidence in Yemen's ability to curb domestic terrorism, they decided to build a physical barrier. Much of it runs through contested territory. According to the 2000 Jeddah border treaty between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, a demilitarised ‘buffer zone' should exist between both countries, protecting the rights of nomadic Bedouin tribes which live in the cross-border area.

Yet, parts of the Saudi barrier stand inside the demilitarised zone, violating the 2000 agreement and infuriating Yemen.

...

The barrier has hindered grazing and free movement by many tribesmen. The tribesmen have the right to be free, but the barrier is taking away their freedom."

Oddly I have not heard Human Rights Watch or the United Nations screaming about this apartheid wall and the breaches of human rights that it is causing.


Shiraz Maher moves to another wall:

"Beyond the Middle East, Iran's 900 km border with Pakistan is currently being replaced by a concrete wall (10 feet high, 3 feet thick), fortified with steel rods. Ostensibly built to thwart drug traffickers and terrorists, the local Baloch people oppose its construction as it cuts across their land and separates communities living on either side of the divide. The opposition leader of Balochistan's Provincial Assembley, Kachkol Ali, has bitterly opposed the wall saying his people were never consulted about it and that it cuts off families from one another.

...

A number of Baloch communities, particularly in the Kech district of south-western Balochistan, straddle the Iranian-Pakistani border area. After Iran began construction of its wall, many of those residing on its side were forced back across the border into Pakistan where they are separated from their families and land."

Starngely not a peep from the United Nations, nor have the BBC publicised this disproportionate breach of human rights in response to a minor problem.


Shiraz Maher moves to another example of a security wall:

"In the Western Sahara desert Morocco has built a massive wall, spanning more than 2700 km. Its primary aim is to guard against Sahrawi separatists who organised themselves into the Polisario Front - a political and terrorist movement - which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people. Much of the wall is lined with barbed wire and landmines..."

Once again the cries of the liberal western media and the NGOs are not to be heard.

Why is Israel's security wall so evil whilst Saudi Arabia's security wall, Iran's security wall and Morocco's security wall are not worthy of comment? One might suspect a degree of double-standards if not anti-Semitism.