Israel Initiates Construction of Security Barrier on Jordan Border
The Israeli Defense Ministry has officially announced the commencement of an engineering plan to construct a security barrier along its eastern border with Jordan. This decision comes in response to recent violent incidents, including the killings of three Israelis and the deaths of two Jordanian perpetrators during operations at the Allenby Crossing and the Dead Sea. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz emphasized the urgency of this project, stating that he will work "intensively and quickly" to establish the separation fence.
The impetus for this barrier stems from concerns over infiltration and illegal arms smuggling, as articulated by Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen. He declared that the construction of the fence is not merely an option but a necessity. This initiative mirrors previous measures taken along the border with Egypt, where a similar fence was erected to curb smuggling and infiltration incidents.
In September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already signaled his intention to build a fence on the Jordan border, akin to the one on the Egyptian border. Reports emerged shortly thereafter indicating that the Israeli military had begun preliminary work, including digging trenches along the border.
Overview of the Jordan-Israel Border
The border between Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank spans a total of 335 kilometers, with 238 kilometers shared between Israel and Jordan, and 97 kilometers bordering the West Bank. Jordan maintains three primary border crossings with Israel: Sheikh Hussein, King Hussein Bridge (Allenby), and Wadi Araba (Yitzhak Rabin). These crossings typically operate regularly, although their status can fluctuate based on security conditions within Israel, as evidenced during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
