Senior police officers to “Globes”: Prime Minister Ehud Barak supports in principle setting up a border fence such as the one that proved effective in preventing the smuggling of vehicles from Israel to the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Public Security is again gearing up for separating Israel from Palestinian-controlled territory. The Ministry is planning to set up a fence along the future borderline between Israel and Palestinian Authority (PA) territory, convert Israel Defense Force checkpoints into border crossings, and set up joint industrial zones. A previous plan drawn up under the Netanyahu government has been suspended.
”Globes” has learnt that, for the first time since the present government came to power, the Ministry of Public Security has resumed work on plans for separating Israel from PA territory.
Senior police officers said that Prime Minister Ehud Barak is in favor of setting up a border fence. The officers added that the fence constructed around the Gaza Strip has proved to be effective, and that it is now very difficult to smuggle vehicles from Israel to the Gaza Strip via routes other than those leading through the checkpoints. The IDF, Israel Police, the General Security Service and officials from relevant government ministries will discuss the issue in the coming weeks.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 22 June, 2000