The suspects infiltrating Israel
A video recently obtained by Ynet shows four Palestinians Illegally crossing into Israel near Kibbutz Magal and the village of Jatt, in the Menashe Regional Council area located close to the West Bank.
The footage from August 26 shows the four arriving in broad daylight at a high concrete wall topped with barbed wire. They use a rope ladder to descend into Israeli territory and quickly flee into a nearby forest.
A military vehicle, apparently from the local unit stationed in the area, arrived at the scene by chance and not in response to an alert or call. The driver exited with a weapon drawn and attempted to locate the infiltrators but was unsuccessful. The four Palestinians have not been found nor arrested at the time of writing.
"Unfortunately, the issue of illegal infiltrators through the fence is well known and we constantly warn the IDF and government about it," said Ilan Sadeh, head of the Menashe Regional Council. "We urge the military, responsible for the Palestinian side of the West Bank barrier, to increase preventive actions. We also ask the Border Police, responsible for the Israeli side, to increase patrols and enforcement in the area."
"There’s a need to enhance security measures along the fence. Seven months ago, the government approved a budget of 100 million shekels to bolster security bodies in the nearby communities, but this money has yet to be transferred,” he added.
“Further, we demand that our communities – Magal, Metzer and Katzir – be designated as areas of national priority, as we requested and was done for Moshav Mei Ami. This would allow the strengthening and expansion of these communities by creating conditions for building and bolstering settlement in the area," he added.
Sadeh concluded, "The Seam-line Settlements Forum, of which I am a member, is working hard to reduce and stop this phenomenon. We’ll meet again to plan further actions this Friday."