The Real Apartheid in the Middle East

The news:

Delta Partnership With Saudi Air a Controversial Connection

The Saudi government-owned carrier does not allow anyone into Saudi Arabia, no matter their ethnicity or citizenship, if that person has an Israeli stamp on his or her passport...Delta's new alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines through its Skyteam Network is coming under fire. As policy, the Saudi government-owned carrier does not allow anyone into Saudi Arabia, no matter their ethnicity or citizenship, if that person has an Israeli stamp on his or her passport.

"...[ADL notes] discrimination of this kind has no place in American business or trade."

..."As a Jewish person, I should be able to fly into Saudi Arabia or anywhere else," says South Florida Delta passenger Michael Friedman. He says he has many Delta miles under his belt, but thinks partnering with the Saudi carrier reflects badly on Delta. 

...The Saudi government [claims] that it does not deny visas to U.S. citizens based on their religion.  The statement did not mention entry denied to those with Israeli stamps on passports.

...While Delta cannot control the Saudi government's rules governing who is allowed to enter that country, the airline can certainly choose with whom it forms alliances, as one South Florida traveler told NBCMiami at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Internatonal Airport.  "I guess it's something that we need to be more educated on, who we're doing business with," said Lisa Angelbello, just before boarding a Delta flight.

More news (with correction on Saudi policy):

The Saudi Arabian embassy on Friday (June 24) denied as "completely false" reports that U.S. Jews would not be able to travel to Saudi Arabia under Delta Air Line's planned partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines..."Rumors being circulated via the Internet regarding passenger flight restrictions on Saudi Arabian Airlines are completely false," the embassy statement said. "The government of Saudi Arabia does not deny visas to U.S. citizens based on their religion."  Saudi officials told CNN that the kingdom does not grant visas to holders of Israeli passports because it does not recognize Israel, and will not deny entry visas to Americans simply because of an Israeli stamp on a U.S. passport...Delta did not deny concerns about Jews' or Israelis' ability to travel to Saudi Arabia.

And that has led to action:

A U.S. lawmaker wants the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate allegations that Delta Airlines has entered into an agreement with Saudi Arabia that could prohibit American Jews from flying into the country - a charge the airline and the Saudi government vigorously dispute.  “I request your investigation into this matter to determine whether Delta Airlines violated U.S. law or regulation and to ensure no U.S. citizen is denied their right to fly solely on the basis of their religion,” Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk wrote in a letter to the head of the FAA.

So, Jews have problems.  What about Christians?  Well

The Saudi regime's Expatriates Monitoring Committee used a new high-tech finger-print system to identify Nirosh Kamanda of Sri Lanka as a Christian, reported Arab News, the government-approved English-language paper.   "The Grand Mosque and the holy city are forbidden to non-Muslims," said Col. Suhail Matrafi, head of the department in charge of Expatriates Affairs in Mecca. "The new fingerprints system is very helpful and will help us a lot to discover the identity of a lot of criminals and overstayers."

More on him here.  And see this.

Should Christians protest?  Why not is suggested here.

Is that a form of apartheid?

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