IDF to strengthen eastern border with new division

Israel’s border with Jordan is the Jewish state’s longest, spanning nearly 200 miles.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced the establishment of a new division to defend the country’s border with Jordan.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi approved the Eastern Division, with the latter saying that “strengthening defense along the borders in general, and on the eastern border in particular, was set as a goal before the war,” adding that “in the wake of Oct. 7 and recent events, it has taken on added urgency.”

Israel’s border with Jordan is the Jewish state’s longest, spanning nearly 200 miles.

While Jerusalem has a peace treaty with Amman and the two countries cooperate on security, recent cross-border terrorist attacks have caused concern.

On Oct. 18, two terrorists who had crossed the border from Jordan south of the Dead Sea carried out a shooting. Two Israelis were wounded, one moderately and one lightly, before the attackers could be neutralized.

Last month, three security guards at the Allenby Bridge crossing in the Jordan Valley were murdered in another terrorist shooting.

The gunman, who according to the IDF was a Jordanian citizen, was killed. He was later named as Maher D’yab Hussein Jazi, a 39-year-old truck driver from the city of Irbid.

“There is an urgent need to establish additional units in both regular service and reserves to alleviate the burden on reserve personnel. In light of this, we have decided to establish a division to strengthen defense on the eastern border. This decision is essential in view of the anticipated challenges and in line with our force-building processes,” the IDF said.

“The division’s purpose is to strengthen defense in the border area, Route 90 and nearby communities, providing a response to terrorism events and arms smuggling, while maintaining a peaceful border and reinforcing cooperation with the Jordanian army,” the statement continued.

The division will be subordinate to IDF Central Command.

Days after the Sept. 8 attack at the Allenby crossing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the border, saying that Jerusalem would work with Jordan to strengthen the Jewish state’s eastern frontier to maintain “peace and security” in the border area.

“We are fighting on multiple fronts,” Netanyahu said alongside Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry with authority over civilian issues in Judea and Samaria.

“In this multi-front battle, we know we need to secure our eastern border with Jordan. It is a border of peace,” he continued. “We cooperate with the Kingdom of Jordan to ensure that it remains so.”

The premier noted however that “challenges are increasing” as Iran, and its terrorist allies are increasingly using the porous border to smuggle weapons into Judea, Samaria and Israeli cities.

“We will work to erect a stronger barrier here to stop smuggling attempts. We do it in coordination with our neighbors. We must ensure that this border remains a border of peace and security,” he concluded.