Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo: Knesset
'Israel-Egypt border mostly incomplete'
Egyptian border left virtually defenseless as only 20km worth of security fence built despite available budgets
Has the Egyptian border been left defenseless? Less than 10% of the security fence between Israel and Egypt has been built despite the fact that the budget was approved over 18 months ago.
Sections near Netafim and Carmit are still open, left completely unsecure and without the promised security fence. So far the IDF has been trying to manage the situation by monitoring the area with cameras and radar scans.
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Unfortunately, this kind of cover leaves the area compromised and highly penetrable.
In January 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the estimated NIS 1 billion (approx. $280 million) construction plan to build a security fence at two sections along the Egyptian border, one near the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah and another near the southern city of Eilat.
The fence was expected to be completed by the end of 2012 and to cover some 230 kilometers (approx. 142 miles). So far a fence has only been build along 20 kilometers (approx. 12 miles), and by the end of 2011 officials expect to finish work on a total of 100 kilometers (approx. 62 miles).
According to the Defense Ministry, so far about 45 kilometers (approx. 27 miles) have been completed out of the planned 210 kilometers (approx. 130 miles).
The ministry added that according to the original schedule, the construction was supposed to be completed by the end of 2013, but now they claim to actually be ahead of schedule – planning to finish building the fence by the end of 2012.
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Since construction plans began, there has been a 50% drop in the number of infiltrators entering Israel compared to last year.
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