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Israel begins work on wall along Gaza border

However, only 600 million shekels ($159 million) has far been allocated so far and, according to the paper.

September 7, 2016 at 12:10 pm

The Israeli military has begun work on a “barrier” along its border with the Gaza Strip, Ynetnews reported today.

The barrier “will reach several stories underground, and will also be several stories above ground”, and is intended primarily to thwart tunnels dug by Palestinian factions inside the Strip.

The newspaper cites the estimated total cost of the project at two billion Israeli shekels ($0.53 billion). The chief of staff has described the barrier as the “largest project” carried out in the army’s history.

However, only 600 million shekels ($159 million) has far been allocated so far and, according to the paper, “no money has been allocated to the project for fiscal years 2017-2018.”

On Sunday, Alex Fishman, a senior analyst in the same paper, said the Israeli government was “about to bury NIS 600 million in the ground in order to quiet down the voices coming from Gaza-border towns and lower the volume on criticisms over its handling of the Hamas attack tunnel problem.”

According to Alex Fishman, once this initial section is completed, “a bid is set to be issued to three large construction firms for the establishment of the remainder of the 60-kilometre perimeter around Gaza.” However, he added, there are good grounds for scepticism about whether anyone in the government will be interested at that stage “in allocating more money”.