Swine Flu and the Middle East

Swine flu doesn't seem to have broken out in the Middle East yet, but at least based on the newspapers that hasn't stopped governments and individuals from wild speculation, pre-emptive action, and controversy. Although human-to-human transmission of the virus seems to be what is alarming most of the world, the Middle East, where Islam and Judaism both ban pork, seems to be concentrating on blocking pigs. Among the items I've noticed so far:

• Egypt's Agriculture Ministry wants to ban the transport of pigs, and the Environment Ministry wants to move all the pig farms. (Pigs are raised in Egypt by and for the Coptic population; pork is sold only through pork-specific butchers, as far as I know.) The Arabist notes that some Egyptian talk shows have discussed killing all the pigs.

• Lebanon has banned the import of pork.

• In Israel, which has two people under observation for possible but unconfirmed infection, the Deputy Agriculture Minister, Yakov Litzman, a haredi or Ultra-Orthodox Jew from the United Torah Judaism faction, has said that Israel will refer to the disease as "Mexico flu," since swine is forbidden.