JERUSALEM — Israel began work Monday on a border fence along its frontier with Egypt that is meant to keep out Islamic militants and African aliens, the Defense Ministry said.
Bulldozers were dispatched to three points along the 150-mile boundary and Israeli TVshowed them clearing patches of land and digging trenches near Egyptian border posts.
Israel approved the fence earlier this year in a bid to keep out militants believed to be operating in Egypt’s Sinai desert and migrants from Africa.
The project is estimated to cost $370 million, the ministry said, and will take up to two years to complete.
The fence is expected to cover at least 87 miles of the boundary and will be backed up by an electronic barrier. Senior Defense Ministry official Udi Shani told Israeli Channel 10 TV the fence was part of a greater strategy to reduce the number of illegal aliens in Israel.
Front Section, Pages 8 on 11/23/2010