Israel greenlights initial work on Jordan Valley security fence

The ministry emphasized that the upgraded barrier is part of an integrated operational system that includes sensors, reconnaissance, and operational teams.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Construction is set to begin in the coming weeks on the first two sections of an upgraded security barrier along Israel’s border with Jordan, the Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.

The initial work will cover roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) in total, stretching from the Hamat Gader hot springs near the southern Golan Heights to the community of Yardena, and from the Jordan Valley checkpoint to the community of Yafit.

The project forms part of a larger plan to fortify Israel’s 425-kilometer (264-mile) border with Jordan, from the Samar Sands north of Eilat through Judea and Samaria to the southern Golan Heights.

The project is expected to cost an estimated NIS 5.5 billion ($1.7 billion).

The ministry said the first tenders have been completed, covering “earthworks and drainage, road and highway rehabilitation, establishment of water and sewage infrastructure, electrical and communications systems, and more.”

Future sections are already in planning, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) working to “formulate the defensive concept for the border and the means required for it,” according to the ministry.

The eastern border is now also under the oversight of the IDF’s newly established 96th “Gilad” Division, responsible for the tri-border area with Jordan and Syria in the north down to Ramon Airport in the south.

Currently, the division is focused on the northern half of the Jordanian border, in the Jordan Valley.

“Looking ahead to the emerging threats, we must act with a sense of urgency and strengthen the strategic grip on the eastern border,” said Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, the Defense Ministry’s Director General.

“This is not just a physical obstacle, but a complete multi-layered system that will include the deployment of flexible and mobile forces, adapted to the topography and changing threats. This is alongside encouraging Zionist-security settlement and investment in security-civilian infrastructure.”

The ministry emphasized that the upgraded barrier is part of an integrated operational system that includes sensors, reconnaissance, and operational teams.

Israel’s border with Jordan, the country’s longest, has seen a surge in weapons smuggling as Iranian operatives attempt to deliver arms to Palestinian terror groups via the Jordan Valley, due to its proximity to Syria and Lebanon.

With approximately 70% of the population of Palestinian descent, many Jordanians strongly support Hamas.