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Israel plans 'virtual fence' with hidden sensors along border with West Bank

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, April 19, 2002

TEL AVIV Ñ Israel's military is proceeding with plans to build a border security system along the frontier with the West Bank.

The "virtual fence" project would install ground-based sensors and a command and control system to alert a rapid response force to infiltration into Israel. The sensors are meant to be concealed and provide an all-weather, all-day picture to a command center. The turn-key system would not require the use of physical barriers and could be adjusted to any security line or border set by the government.

Officials said the aim of the system is for the military to respond to any decision by the government to withdraw from the West Bank, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the military has planned the frontier security system based on the lessons from the rapid Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000.

The ministerial security committee has approved the establishment of a security system to separate Israel from the West Bank. Officials said the average width of the frontier would be five kilometers and the government would finance the erection of 57 kilometers of fencing and physical barriers to stop infiltrators. The physical barriers would be built in areas where Israeli and Palestinian communities are in close proximity, such as Jerusalem, Tulkarm and the Umm El Fahm.

Three major Israeli defense contractors are involved in the pilot project and have been assigned areas to test their security systems. The Israel Defense Forces and paramilitary Border Police are also engaged in four studies to determine the parameters of a flexible border security regime along a 360-kilometer frontier.

The chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, David Magen, said the cost of the project is estimated at 2 billion shekels, or $450 million. "The conception is of a security zone with a united command," Magen said.

Israeli officials and industry sources said Israel's government has twice Ñ in 1994 and 2001 Ñ decided to launch a project to ensure frontier security along the West Bank. But they said the project has been stymied by the price tag as well as an aversion to delineate a line that would separate Israel from Palestinian communities in the West Bank. More than 200,000 Israelis live in nearly 70 settlements in the West Bank and Israeli politicians do not want them to be left isolated.

Under the pilot project launched by the Ground Forces Command, the West Bank has been divided into three areas. The state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries would establish a network of sensors and C2 systems in the Hebron area of the southern West Bank. Rafael, Israel Armament Development Authority, would be responsible for the Etzion Bloc south of Jerusalem.

Elbit Systems was given responsible for the northern West Bank that borders Israel.

Industry sources said the military is expected to soon release operational requirements for the frontier security system, called "Merhav Tefer." Later, the Defense Ministry would issue a request for proposal [RFI] for bidders.

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