The large metal barrier that protects 30 kilometers of the Israeli-Jordanian

border. Eli Hershkovitz

This is Israel's Fence Against ISIS: One Small Sign And A Very Big Gap
Only 30 kilometers of the border will be defended by the large, high-tech fence
that was promised to defend against infiltration from Jordan.
By Gili Cohen Apr 03, 2017
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Israel approves fence along Jordan border to prevent infiltration of jihadists
Jordan fears terror attack on Syria border may herald new ISIS front
This secluded eatery on the Israel-Jordan border serves a mean 13th century
stew
The final section of a fence along Israels border with Jordan in the south,
scheduled for completion within a few months, will apparently amount to nothing
more than a tangle of barbed wire stretched along the ground and a small sign in
Hebrew reading border ahead, no passage.
Two years ago, the cabinet approved construction of the fence, due to fears
that global jihad operatives could easily cross the border from Jordan, coupled
with fears that the Islamic State might set up shop in the kingdom. The decision
was spurred in particular by plans to build a new international airport at Timna
to replace the airports at Eilat and Ovda. The Timna airport will be situated just
200 meters or so from the border, so the cabinet concluded that a border
fence, guarded by a battalion of combat soldiers, was essential to protect it.
The first section, which runs for 30 kilometers between Eilat and the future
airport, resembles the fences on Israels borders with Egypt and with Syria. A
few meters high, it is made of corrugated sheet metal and barbed wire attached
to steel posts, and is equipped with sensors that feed into a monitoring system.
Where the great border wall ends, and the roles of barbed wire begin. Eli
Hershkovitz
But a decision was made to halt construction after only 30 kilometers instead of
sealing off the entire border. Thus anyone seeking to cross into Israel could
simply go around that stretch and cross at the final section.
The first section cost some 200 million shekels ($55 million) to build. The cost
of fencing the entire border is estimated at about three billion shekels.
Out of respect for the sensitivity of the Israeli-Jordanian relationship, the
cabinet included in its resolution approving the fences construction an unusual
provision, according to which the barrier would be entirely on the Israeli side of
the border and would not infringe on the sovereignty of the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan, or on its national interests, which will be respected.
Where the wall ends, the barbed wire begins, accompanied by the sign "border
ahead, no passage." Eli Hershkovitz
Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Einat Schlein recently gave a pessimistic
assessment of Jordans situation in a briefing for Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi
Eisenkot. Her main reason for pessimism was the Syrian civil war, as a result of
which large numbers of refugees have entered the kingdom.
In a statement, the Defense Ministry said it is complying with the cabinet
resolution and creating a barrier along the Jordanian border that will stretch
about 30 kilometers northward from Eilat. The work is at a very advanced
stage, and is expected to be completed in the next few months, the statement
said.
A small tangle of barbed wire is all that defends one part of the border between
Israel and Jordan, even after millions have been spent on a much larger barrier
elsewhere. Eli Hershkovitz

Gili Cohen
Haaretz Correspondent

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