Israel begins construction of new barrier along Jordan border

By Abdel Ra'ouf Arnaout and Rania Abu Shamala

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL (AA) – Israel’s Defense Ministry said Monday that it has begun constructing a barrier along the border with Jordan.

A ministry statement said the project, led by the Borders Directorate together with the ministry’s Engineering Division and the army, will initially focus on the Jordan Valley areas, covering roughly 80 kilometers.

The ministry claimed that the construction aims to strengthen “national security and strategic control over the eastern border.”

Regarding the cost of the project, the ministry said it amounts to 5.5 billion shekels ($1.7 billion) and includes establishing a multilayered system extending roughly 500 kilometers, from Syria’s southern occupied Golan Heights to north of Eilat in southern Israel.

“This will be a smart border, featuring a physical fence, intelligence sensors, radars, cameras, and advanced technologies,” said Eran Ofir, head of the Border Directorate at the ministry.

There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Authority or Jordan on the Israeli move.

On May 18, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the Security Cabinet had approved the construction of what it called a “security barrier” along the Jordanian border.

The channel attributed the decision to two alleged infiltration incidents involving foreign nationals entering Israel without being detected by authorities.

Three border crossings connect Israel and Jordan: the Sheikh Hussein (Jordan River) crossing, the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge, and the Wadi Araba (Yitzhak Rabin) crossing.