Israel is set to begin constructing a long-promised border fence along its frontier with Jordan in June, with the project expected to take three years. The new barrier, costing NIS 5.2 billion ($1.4 billion), will stretch from Hamat Gader at the southern edge of the Golan Heights to Ramon International Airport near Eilat. A 30-kilometer section between Eilat and Ramon Airport has already been upgraded.
The fence aims to curb frequent gun and drug smuggling, which Israeli officials say has contributed to rising violence in the country. Plans also include developing new towns along the border.
Currently, parts of the border have an aging chain-link fence with sensors, while other sections only have barbed wire. Security officials have warned that thousands of weapons have likely crossed from Jordan into Israel over the past decade, some of which have been used by Palestinian militants.
Calls for a reinforced border barrier have circulated for years. In August 2023, then-Foreign Minister and now-Defense Minister Israel Katz urged swift action, accusing Iran of attempting to establish an “eastern terror front” by smuggling weapons through Jordan. Preliminary work on the project began in November 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly proposed strengthening Israel’s borders, with plans for a fence along the Jordan border dating back more than a decade. While a similar security fence along the Gaza border was once touted as impenetrable, it was overrun by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, attack, raising concerns about the effectiveness of border security measures.
Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-aims-to-begin-building-new-1-4b-border-barrier-with-jordan-within-months/