Tens of thousands of Palestinians infiltrate Israel daily, lawmaker warns

Lawmaker warns that the incidents captured on film are just the tip of the iceberg.

By World Israel News Staff

On any given day, tens of thousands of Palestinian Arabs illegally cross into Israel, an Israeli lawmaker warned, calling Israel’s failure to maintain control over the movement of people and goods across the Green Line a major threat to national security.

On Monday night, Likud MK Moshe Saada told Radio Kol Hai that an estimated 20,000 Palestinian Arabs infiltrate into Israeli territory every day, breaking through vulnerable spots in security fences, climbing over barriers, or being driven across the Green Line – often while concealed.

The phenomenon, which has plagued Israel’s seam zone along the frontier of Judea and Samaria for decades, gained national attention this week after Israeli drivers spotted Palestinian Arabs using ladders to climb over the security wall in eastern Jerusalem, entering the capital illegally.

Footage of the infiltrations quickly went viral.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered the Border Police to beef up security along the wall, and eased restrictions on the use of force.

But the problem is not confined to the Jerusalem district, Saada said, noting a recent tour he participated in across the “northern triangle” adjacent to northwestern Samaria, where large numbers of Palestinians easily move back and forth across the Green Line each day.

The trip included a visit to Barta’a, an Arab town that straddles the Green Line from the State of Israel into northern Samaria.

Because no barriers have been erected within the town, Saada said, Israel has no control over border crossings.

“The place is divided into two: Israeli Barta’a and Palestinian Barta’a. There is no fence at this point, anyone who wants can enter and exit freely,” Saada said.

Despite Israel’s security barrier which spans much of the frontier with Judea and Samaria, border security remains uneven.

Some segments of the barrier have yet to be completed, while some sections have been neglected, allowing infiltrators to cross through fence holes.

“The system ignores it – until the next terror attack,” Saada said, blaming both the IDF and police for not enforcing border security.

“Four terror attacks have already been carried out by people who came out of there. Anyone who enters Barta’a can go anywhere in Israel and attack.”

“This has been going on since Oslo. Just like we ignored it before October 7th – we’re ignoring it the same way now.”

“All the terror attacks are carried out by illegal infiltrators who entered through these gates.”

“The state talks about 20,000 illegal infiltrators entering every day. Twenty thousand! It’s unbelievable. And every one of them is a potential security threat.”