A Wall To Go Up Between Israel and Egypt

Israel plans a wall between them and Egypt, similar to this Bethlehem checkpoint wallThe rumored wall between Israel and Egypt is a rumor no longer- there will be a wall built between the two countries. The goal of the new structure is to keep illegal migrants and militants out of Israel.  

"I took the decision to close Israel's southern border to infiltrators and terrorists. This is a strategic decision to secure Israel's Jewish and democratic character," said Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu.Egypt was apparently not aware of the plans until the announcement was made known in the general public.

In some senses they are taking a cue from the United States, as we are building a wall of our own along the border between Texas and Mexico. It’s interesting to see the changing walls around the world- where 20 years ago we celebrated with vigor the bringing down of the wall between East and West Germany in Berlin, Israel has embraced hard borders along the West Bank and in Gaza, and now the hardest of all- building a physical wall between them and Egypt.

Egypt’s border between them and Israel has been an entry point for African migrants trying to get away from problems in their home country or just seeking a better life, but it appears that time will be running out for them, at least those who wish to enter the country illegally. While he said that Israel will still welcome refugees from conflict zones, he also said that "we cannot let tens of thousands of illegal workers infiltrate into Israel through the southern border and inundate our country with illegal aliens."

I wonder if there is the kind of debate there that there is in the U.S. about illegal immigration, and whether illegal immigrants have any kind of pathway to citizenship once they are in the country?

The wall will not cover the entire 166 mile border between Egypt and Israel, but will be augmented with surveillance equipment- a total cost of a projected $270 million will cover the construction, expected to take 2 years.

Israel already has numerous concrete walls and razor-tipped fence barriers along several other borders, including the southern border with the Gaza Strip, borders with Lebanon and Syria in the north, and a similar wall structure being built along the West Bank.

Will Israel eventually build walls between their country and everyone around them? If they do, it will only be a physical manifestation of the way they operate in the region already. There is little integration between Israel and any of its non-Jewish neighbors- what there is is plenty of animosity. And it looks and sounds like Israel is going to keep it that way and is just happy as a clam to keep everyone out. It’s interesting that they are accepting African refugees into their borders but would never consider the same kind of illegal immigration or amnesty for Palestinians who are not direct parts of the political decisions or acts that alienate Israel from the people around them.

Another wall built and another symbolic move against peace in the ground and rising to the sky. So let it be written.

Photo Credit: delayed gratification (via Flickr under CCL)