Iron curtains and glass walls

Pervez Musharraf's recent observation that a new iron curtain was being drawn between the Western and Islamic worlds is a valid one, pointedly allusive to Israel's security wall against the Palestinian territories. How can anyone believe that segregation will bring about lasting peace? But as ever the issue is not just prejudice -- on both sides, if you look at Sunni criticism of Allawi for being un-Islamic by meeting an Israeli government official -- but prejudice compounded by poverty. Islamophobia and the collapse of Africa will persist while they continue to serve the vested interests of global conglomerates, with oil companies (in particular Shell) holding the poor in their thrall. It's a new mediaevalism.