Israel is to set up a “security zone” extending into Palestinian territory in northern Gaza to avoid militants infiltrating the Jewish state, the defence ministry said on Friday.
“Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered a security zone to be laid down on the Palestinian side of the northern Gaza Strip in order to minimise the danger to Israeli communities by the chaos reigning in Gaza,” a spokesperson said.
“This security zone will be either an electronic fence or a wall. What is vital is to create a no-man’s land to which access is forbidden for Palestinians,” she added.
In total, the “zone” would run 150m deep into Palestinian territory, she said, giving no further details.
Reacting to the announcement, Palestinian planning minister Ghassan Khatib, accused Israel of continuing to behave as an occupation force regardless of the formal end of 38 years of military rule in the Gaza Strip.
“Security zones should be partly in one state and partly in another and it should be by agreement, but Israel is working on a unilateral basis. They didn’t ask us to do this,” said Khatib.
“Despite its withdrawal Israel is still an occupying force and is acting on this basis,” he added.
Since Israel withdrew its last ground troops from the Gaza Strip at dawn on Monday, effectively ending its military presence in the territory, parts of the narrow strip of land have been flung into chaos.
Egyptian and Palestinian security forces have proved largely unable to prevent thousands of people from crossing the border between southern Gaza and Egypt, adding to Israeli fears about weapons smuggling.
“In order to deal with this situation, Mr Mofaz has also ordered tougher security controls at Erez and Karni,” the defence ministry’s spokesperson said, referring to the two main crossing points between Gaza and Israel.
“That may cause difficulties for the Palestinians, but the priority is to ensure Israeli security,” senior defence ministry official Amos Gilad told army radio.
Mofaz has also instructed the security forces to step up surveillance along Israel’s own border with Egypt in the southern Negev desert, fearing Palestinians may also try to smuggle weapons across that frontier.
Military sources said Israeli troops had on Friday launched a manhunt for two Palestinians who infiltrated Israel from the northern Gaza Strip.
Soldiers ordered residents in Israeli communities just over the border not to leave their homes, the military sources said, unable to say whether the two Palestinians were armed or were illegal job-seekers. – AFP