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Mon, Nov 22, 2010 | By Crethi Plethi
Israel Starts Building Barrier Along Egyptian Border
Israel started building a barrier along its border with Egypt to prevent illegal immigrants, smugglers and militants from crossing into the country.
The project was announced in January 2010 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I took the decision to close Israel’s southern border to infiltrators and terrorists. This is a strategic decision to secure Israel’s Jewish and democratic character,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
The barrier will not be erected along the whole 266 km (166 miles) border. Advanced surveillance equipment will help border control officers to spot infiltrators. The barrier will take two years to complete.
Netanyahu said Israel would continue to accept refugees from conflict zones but “we cannot let tens of thousands of illegal workers infiltrate into Israel through the southern border and inundate our country with illegal aliens.”
Thousands of African and other migrants have come to Israel through its porous border with Egypt over the last few years and the IDF (Israel’s army) estimates that around 5,000 infiltrators have entered Israel over the past year as well as 1.3 tonnes of hash and 130 kilograms of heroin. [CNN, Nov 22, 2010]
Egyptian police also have stepped up efforts to control the frontier with Israel following an increase in human trafficking through Egypt.
Israel’s former ambassador to Egypt, Eli Shaked, told CNN there is nothing political about the decision to build it. “It is a necessity. It had to be done a long time ago. It is not something directed at Egypt,” he said. [CNN, Nov 22, 2010]