Egypt Builds Anti-Terror Fence

(Cairo) As a result of being a target for terrorists, the popular tourist destination of Sharm El-Sheikh will be a city surrounded by a security fence.

From ArabNews.com:

Egypt has started building a wire fence around Sharm El-Sheikh's tourist spots in a bid to prevent attackers from crossing into the Red Sea resort that was hit by deadly bombings in July, a security official said yesterday. "The fence aims to block cars from entering tourist areas except from four designated points and thus prevent possible terror attacks," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The fence would span 20 kilometers, stand one-and-a-half meters high, and be patrolled by security forces, the official said. He said work started on Saturday but did not say when it would end. Once the fence is complete, access to the city will be restricted to police-monitored entry points, equipped with state-of-the-art explosive detection equipment, he said.

Obviously, the question has to be pondered of how the Egyptian fence is any different from the wall being constructed by the Israelis for the same reason. And, the last I checked, every group that can sniff a goat from the European Union to the Arab League and to the United Nations has denounced the Israeli wall as the inhumane "Apartheid Wall."

Will these groups now also denounce the Egyptian fence? I think not. The opposition newspaper Al-Wafd in Egypt, however, did ask the question and remarked that the fence would only attract terrorists. We'll just have to wait to see how the rest of the critics respond.


[Update 10/20/05]

(From Ritzy) It seems that news of the fence was incorrect or plans have changed. According to this report, Governor Mustafa Afifi of South Sinai said that 80cm concrete walls are being constructed to keep out the camels and prevent accidents. Evidently, terrorists will continue to be allowed access to Sharm El-Sheikh as long as they don't travel by camel.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.