Sinai fence complete

[Minskaya]

With just a few miles to go on the southern end, Israel has completed a 150 mile Sinai border fence that stretches from Rafah to Eilat. The fence - 16' in height and topped with concertina wire - is augmented with unmanned observation towers equipped with radar and cameras, all connected by buried fiber optic cables to Border Patrol posts. The fence is designed to withstand casual assault for at least thirty minutes until BP units arrive. It is a first line of defense against armed Islamists, Bedouin smugglers, and refugees, all seeking to penetrate Israeli territory. Only a handful of attempted incursions were recorded during the closing months of 2012.

Since the fall of the Mubarak regime in Egypt, Sinai has become a very dangerous place with roving bands of armed Islamists. It was also the means used by Bedouin traffickers in the employ of the Russian mafia to smuggle Eastern European women ( ~1000 a year) to Tel Aviv for prostitution. Additionally, it was also the favored route used by Eritrean and Sudanese refugees seeking entry into Israel. There are an estimated 50,000 illegal Africans in Israel. In 2011 Israel expelled 2,000 and another 3,000 left of their own volition. Principally due to crime issues, the government of Israel has decided to repatriate/expel all illegal African refugees.

Also in January 2013, the Israeli government will begin a test program of bio-metric identity cards. The test program is mandated by the Israel Supreme Court to determine if such a database is secure from cyber-theft and manipulation.

[Doktor]

no walls? hmm...

[bigross86]

Surprisingly enough, Israel has plenty borders without walls, usually in places where there is less threat of terrorists crossing the border, or more manageable areas. In this instance, the fence is just fine, since even if they do cross, they're in the middle of the desert and up against a fence. The borders with Syria, Lebanon and Jordan are all fences like the one above: usually two high fences with about a meter of space in between them, concertina wire, and then fine sand that will leave footprints, if you do manage to get over the fence.

[Minskaya]

A moderator can delete this post.

[Minskaya]

With the Sinai border fence 99% complete, PM Netanyahu has ordered the Defense Ministry staff responsible for project planning to remain intact and to begin work on a similar border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights. As a result of the continuing civil war, the Syrian Army has all but vacated the region and global jihadi groups are now moving into the area.

[Mihais]

Any idea about the costs?

[Doktor]

"They are lower then any threat, or any human life lost"

Now beat it, noone asks about the costs when security is the topic.