Earlier infiltration attempt (Archive)
Photo: Border Guard Ramon Unit
8 arrested infiltrating from Egypt
State, security establishment concerned by rising rates of infiltration from Egypt, and especially by Israelis’ involvement in incidents
Despite the many warnings, including at Cabinet meetings, the rate of infiltrations into Israel from the Egyptian border continues to rise.
The essentialness of the electronic fence under construction along the border, which is being delayed due to budget cuts, was proven Friday when IDF forces captured eight infiltrators at two different sites along the border.
The Karakal battalion, responsible for the Arava sector, managed to thwart the infiltrations just moments before the suspects made it to Eilat.
On a routine patrol of the highway, forces stopped two suspicious vehicles – one near Kibbutz Elifaz and the second by Roded River, about 15 kilometers from Eilat.
An interrogation of the suspects revealed that they were infiltrators. One of the drivers was Bedouin and the other was an Israeli resident of Russian origin.
Officials in the IDF expressed concern over the increased involvement of Israeli citizens in cross-border smuggling attempts.
Between the two vehicles, eight people were captured, including five Chinese, one Nigerian, and two women from the former Soviet Union, all of whom apparently planned to work illegally in Israel.
The IDF clarified that it was difficult to hermetically seal the hilly desert area where the infiltrations took place.
