Who bans whom?

Here is an odd one.  It seems half the world is up in arms about President Trump banning people from seven countries to the USA.

Why is it odd?  Well, two reasons really.  On one hand Trump is simply continuing, in a way, the well documented polices of his predecessors, Obama and Bush.  So he is not really doing anything particularly new.  Just a bit more in your face.

The second?  The policy of banning people because of their country of origin is actually incredibly widespread.  Sixteen countries already discriminate exactly in this way and have done so for some considerable time.  They ban the people from one country, or indeed, people who have visited this country, from stepping foot on their soil.

The counties who already practice this discrimination?  Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. 

So why are there not worldwide protests at the behaviour of these countries that are doing the exact same thing as Trump, Obama and Bush have done? Banning people.

You might not like Trump.  But even the most anti Trump person must realise that to turn a blind eye and not to demonstrate against the 16 Muslim majority countries that are practicing this discrimination, is hypocritical.

Or maybe Israelis don’t matter. 

And before you tell me Israel refused entry to 115 British citizens in 2016 amid 'discriminatory' treatment of pro-Palestinian activists, I know.  

Travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office(FCO) warns that Israeli border officials may require travellers to sign pledges not to enter the Palestinian territories without authorisation.  It says access to travellers’ personal e-mail or social media accounts has been requested as a condition of entry.   Which when you think of it is pretty outrageous.  Or that British nationals of Palestinian origin “may face problems”.  So it’s not a total ban against people of another country. So, while it is a ban, its a selective ban. 

My point is, Bush, Obama and now Trump are just doing what countries like the 16 and Israel are doing for years.  And no one seems to organise million people protests against them.  

And just for the record, which country doesn't ban Muslims?  Israel.