Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has taken decisive action in response to the escalating violence in Arab society and the proliferation of illegal weapons on Israeli streets. In light of these concerns, a new police unit is set to be established in the Judea and Samaria region. With plans to commence operations in early 2024, this unit's primary objective will be to thwart and prevent illegal drug smuggling along the Jordanian border, and it is likely to be named the "Jordanian Border Unit."
Minister Ben Gvir emphasized the importance of securing the borders, particularly the Jordanian border, which has become a conduit for weapons smuggling into Israel. In his own words, "it is our duty to close the borders - especially the Jordanian one - from which weapons are smuggled into Israel. This is one of the biggest challenges for the police, when in recent years the number of weapons only increases - and according to the intelligence division, most of the weapons are smuggled into Israel through the Jordanian border, which remains largely open."
Efforts are already underway to establish the unit's headquarters and allocate the necessary financial resources. The unit's defined mission is to gather intelligence aimed at disrupting smuggling activities within the district. Minister Ben Gvir further stated, "The purpose of the unit is to gather intelligence to thwart smuggling within the district. The unit will collect information based on human intelligence as well as through cyber and eavesdropping technology. In this way, it will consolidate the required picture of the situation in the field of smuggling, using advanced technological means."
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ā ××× × ×× ×× ×× yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) October 3, 2023
Crucially, the Jordanian Border Unit will collaborate with other police units, including the defense unit led by Deputy Chief Ronen Kalfon, responsible for operations along the Egyptian and Jordanian borders up to the Ein Gedi area. Additionally, it is expected to cooperate closely with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security agency to extract valuable information and discern activity patterns within smuggling networks.
Minister Ben Gvir underscored the significance of this dedicated unit, highlighting its pivotal role in combating the smuggling of illegal weapons and bolstering sovereignty and governance along Israel's eastern border. He added, "This is the addition of an important and dedicated unit, which will fight the smuggling of illegal weapons and will contribute greatly to the strengthening of sovereignty and governance on Israel's eastern border. After many years of neglect, we are promoting and taking more and more steps as part of the policy that I am leading for an uncompromising war against criminal and terrorist organizations."
Israeli 'Fauda' star Tsahi Halevi is a hero both on and off-screen!
ā Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 4, 2023
As a volunteer in Israel's Border Police, he participated in a real-life raid. The operation successfully cracked down on illegal weapons and narcotics, leading to four arrests. pic.twitter.com/YrHgGlfaXS
Since the start of 2023, law enforcement agencies have made substantial progress in seizing illegal weapons. A total of 235 assault rifles, 1,303 pistols, 531 improvised rifles, 1,467 makeshift pistols, 54 shotguns, 487 grenades, 245 explosive charges, and 170,707 rounds of various ammunition have been confiscated in 1,951 police operations. According to the police's intelligence division, the majority of these weapons find their way into Israel through the Jordanian border.
