Although the IDF used live fire & tear gas to repel the large group of Palestinians breaching border fence, Eshkol Regional Council head Gadi Yarkoni says Israel needs to boost defensive measures.
By Shlomi Diaz & Gadi Golan
Israeli forces used tear gas grenades to repel a large group of Palestinians who breached the Gaza Strip security fence Monday. The Palestinian media accused Israel of using live ammunition during the clash, and reported four Palestinian casualties.
It was the second such incident in three days, following a breach on Saturday. On Monday, some 200 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip tried to infiltrate near Kibbutz Reim. Some managed to reach the fence and damage it. It was later fixed, only to be damaged again by another group. A total of 20 Palestinians managed to cross into Israel before being repelled back into the Gaza Strip.
During clashes on Sunday near the fence, five Palestinians were detained and the rest were successfully repelled. Meanwhile, the Israeli Navy fired on five Palestinians fishing vessels that had breached the designated fishing perimeter off the Gaza Strip coast. The fishermen then turned back to the Gaza Strip.
Eshkol Regional Council head Gadi Yarkoni said local authorities were “monitoring the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip.”
Yarkoni said he had anticipated such clashes as a result of the recent spate of terrorism.
“It is clear that if calm isn’t restored in Jerusalem and its environs, the escalation will continue to affect the communities near the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“Today’s crossing attempt [on Monday] was very close to the fence and the military managed to contain it, but it nevertheless underscores the importance of boosting the defensive measures along the border with Gaza.
“We ask that the government spare no time in building a sophisticated obstacle along the border. The consensus among experts is that this would be the optimal measure against infiltration attempts from the Gaza Strip and against the threat posed by the terror tunnels we constantly have to deal with. We are constantly in touch with security officials, but for the time being we continue with our day-to-day routine.”
View original Israel Hayom publication at:
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=28873