Government action in the struggle against infiltration has led to a 99.6% drop in the number of infiltrators into Israel in the first half of 2013, as compared to the first half of 2012. In the first six months of this year, only 34 infiltrators reached Israel’s borders, as opposed to 9,570 in the same period last year. All 34 infiltrators this year were transferred directly to holding facilities and none of them reached Israel’s cities, as opposed to the infiltrators that entered Israel up to June 2012.

The drop is due to an integrated action plan implemented by the Government in recent years. A central component of this plan is the construction of a fence along the western border which prevents infiltrators from crossing. As of now, the Defense Ministry has completed over 235 kilometers of border fence; the remaining kilometers, in the area around Eilat, are due to be completed soon.

At the same time, the Government blocked the possibility of infiltrators reaching Israel’s cities. Every infiltrator that reaches the border is transferred directly to holding facilities in accordance with the Prevention of Infiltration Law which was initiated by the Government and allows infiltrators to be detained for three years.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also appointed Chaggai Hadas as his special envoy for finding solutions on the infiltrator issue and repatriating them to their countries of origin in Africa or to third countries. Thousands of infiltrators have already been repatriated to their countries.

Last month, the Knesset approved, on its second and third readings, a law that bars labor infiltrators from sending money beyond Israel’s borders until they leave the country, as an additional step designed to reduce the number of infiltrators.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said, in response to the above data, “This is the result of the comprehensive work that is being done to deal with infiltration. Having blocked the phenomenon with the help of the fence that was built along the border, we are now working to repatriate the infiltrators who are here; in this also we will achieve results.”

Interior Minister Gideon Saar said, “We must continue to take determined action in order to ensure that the phenomenon has been blocked. We will continue to act in accordance with the government’s policy of repatriating infiltrators to their countries of origin or to third countries. Israel is the only Western country that borders Africa and if we do not act according to a clear and uncompromising policy Israel will be flooded with illegal infiltrators.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)