The virus also highlighted a high volume of prejudice towards others. One Kuwaiti actress even called for the deportation of foreign workers. Hundreds of Saudi Twitter users made generalisations that the Sunni response was civilised and rational, while the Shia Irani response was idiotic. Some have even claimed that the virus and its spread were being funded by Qatar in order to undermine Riyadh's Vision 2030.
Deep internal polarisation has also increased across political lines as a result of the pandemic. In Lebanon, sectarian political parties’ elites saw the virus spreading as an opportunity to reconnect with their grassroots and reconcile some of their lost support, especially after October 2019.
Coronavirus in the Middle East: Lock down or play down?
Countries such as Kuwait and Israel have instituted virtual lockdowns in the face of COVID-19, while religious gatherings have been limited at a time of year ripe with ritual. Others have been slower to act. By Tom Allinson
Iran bearing the brunt: with a high number of deaths and cases, Iran has been a regional epicentre of the outbreak. Several top officials have been infected and there are concerns the number of cases are higher than reported. The government has cancelled Friday prayers but health workers have complained they are under-equipped. Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for emergency funding
Strict measures in Saudi Arabia: Saudi authorities banned international religious pilgrims early on, leaving the Grand Mosque's Kaaba in Mecca virtually empty. Other measures have involved sanitizing streets and mosques, closing schools and universities, an extensive travel ban and fines of up to 500,000 riyals (€120,000/$133,000) for people hiding health details. It has also locked down the Shia-minority area of Qatif
Egypt restricts travel: in Cairo, hundreds of Egyptians tried to get certificates showing they have a clean bill of health after Saudi Arabia announced new travel regulations. Although Egypt has only detected a low number of cases, more than 100 tourists returning from the country tested positive for the virus. Officials have limited sermons to 15 minutes and cancelled large public gatherings
Israel and West Bank cut off from the world: gatherings of less than 100 are still allowed, leaving visits to the Wailing Wall open. But Israeli authorities have virtually halted air traffic in and out of its territory and tourists are required to self-quarantine. The city of Bethlehem has declared a state of emergency, emptying streets usually teeming ahead of Easter. Israeli researchers have said they are close to finding a COVID-19 cure
Virtual lockdown in Kuwait: as Kuwaitis kept their distance at this makeshift testing centre, the country entered a virtual lockdown, with the entire workforce given a two-week holiday from March 12. All commercial flights have been suspended from Friday on, schools have been closed and gatherings at restaurants, malls and commercial centres have been banned
In Iraq coronavirus fails to dampen protests: Iraq's protest movement has set up its own makeshift disinfection stations to counter the spread of COVID-19. Although Iraq is highly prone to the outbreak due to its proximity and close relations with Iran, protesters have been defiant, saying the government is the virus. Elsewhere authorities have closed major public spaces and religious institutions have cancelled gatherings
In the Palestinian Territories, the spread of coronavirus added a new layer of division when the Hamas de facto administration refused to apply new emergency measures in the Gaza Strip implied by the state of emergency announced by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The political rift deepened further when it became clear that the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip was being less than upfront about its health measures, needs, and quarantine arrangements.
Some are more equal than others
At a socio-economic level, the pandemic has uncovered very deep inequalities in Middle Eastern societies. Without familial and societal solidarity, millions would be suffering from food shortages and homelessness. Though many argue that the virus has affected everyone equally, in reality, it is affecting the poor and the middle classes more than the rich and the politicians.
Patchy hygiene infrastructure, immune systems weakened by poor nutrition, and unequal access to healthcare all stem from economic inequality. In 2018 one study found the MENA region to be the most unequal region in the world. Moreover, inequality within a single country can be extreme. For instance, in Egypt, more than 32% of the country’s 100 million people live in poverty. In Lebanon, more than 40% of the population live in poverty.
