In the summer of 2017, Turkey expects to complete a
511km concrete wall along its border with Syria. Turkey hopes the wall will prevent militants,
including ISIS and Syrian Rebels, from crossing it borders. Despite its previous open-door policy, Turkey
aims to use the wall to combat smuggling and illegal immigration. Throughout the Middle East and their European
neighbors, walls and fences have been erected at an alarming rate with seven new barriers
constructed in 2015 alone.
In 1996, walls were constructed along the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip in order to prevent the entry of arms into Gaza. The barrier then was torn down by Palestinians in 2000 during an uprising. By June of 2001, the wall was rebuilt. Finding wall destruction unviable, Palestinian militants have fired rockets and mortars over the wall since its erection despite a 2008 war with Israel. Later, Egypt constructed a similar wall on its Gaza border essentially blocking the entire land border of Gaza. A barrier also separates the West Bank. The barrier does not follow the previously defined borders and juts into the West Bank at several locations.
While walls in the Middle East are focused on security
against militants, walls in Europe are concerned with preventing refugees from
entering their territories. Some of the
first of these barriers appeared between Spain and Morocco. Two Spanish cities, Ceuta and Melilla,
located in Morocco saw an influx of African refugees in 2005. Spain reinforced its fences and effectively
stemmed the entrance of refugees.
Refugees then shifted routes to the Canary Island which Spain then reinforced.
This process continued, refugees change
routes, the country blocks that route, and refugees shift their routes,
throughout the Balkans. Even Norway
constructed a barrier along its border with Russia to prevent the entry of
migrants. In France and Germany, walls
have been erected around refugee camps and residencies as well. With most routes essentially blocked,
refugees must cross the Mediterranean and hope to reach the other side.
Jarred Waters
This is an example of the interconnectedness of the world. Turmoil in one part of the world will spill over to other parts. The only solution is to fix the problems in the middle east.
ReplyDeleteWalls can be protective or prejudiced, but are always exclusive no matter what the intents of its builders are. I find it interesting how several walls are meant to deter migrants in Europe but this Turkish wall is meant to stem the flow of violence.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how different countries have walls built for different reasons. Where Europe just wants to keep people out, the Middle East wants to keep the movement of militias down. Both serve the purpose of protecting people, but but they protect their people from different things.
ReplyDeleteI wish that when we think of walls here in the states, we would ask more about there effectiveness than their racial or social ramifications. We should look to these walls as examples. Do they work for their countries? And why or why not.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty interesting how worldwide the trend of wall building has become. I think it speaks to growing disparities between nations, even nations that are neighboring one another. Zach makes a good point, I wonder how effective these walls are and how these countries are measuring effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteThis parallels with the building of a wall between the US and Mexico. The US prides itself on being a place of diversity, while they are attempting to build a wall to keep out immigrants. The goal is not to keep out militants however, like in the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteWhy are there so many national executives who think a wall is the best way to keep people out of a region? Aside from the moral dubiousness, how often are walls even effective?
ReplyDeleteWalls don't stop problems. Ever. Whether its physical walls between countries or mental and emotional walls. Sure, they make it really easy to block out and ignore that issue over there on the other side of the wall, but that issue is still there, and that issue will always find a way through the wall. Instead of blocking out everyone because of a couple possible terrorists, it might help to try facing the issue with all of the good people that want inside your wall to help you deal with the same bad people that they are also trying to deal with.
ReplyDeleteJ.R. Purvis
I always thought Trump had crazy, wild, and different ideas, but I did not know this is a thing in other countries that he wants to copy!
ReplyDeleteOlive McKay