[Picture from same article - copyright guardian.co.uk
31/12/2012 – Image Baz Ratner/REUTERS]
31.12.2012. The number of migrants
crossing the border between Egypt and Israel dropped to zero last week for the
first time since 2006, as construction of the last small sections of a 150-mile
fence is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
A total of 36 migrants crossed into Israel
from Egypt in December, all of whom were detained, compared with 2,295 in
January. The numbers have steadily declined throughout 2012 as construction of
the vast steel fence through the desert from Eilat to the border with Gaza has
progressed.
"We have succeeded in blocking the
phenomenon of illegal infiltrators," said the Israeli prime minister,
Binyamin Netanyahu. "It has been several months now that no infiltrator
has reached [the Israeli cities of] Eilat, Be'er Sheva, Tel Aviv or any Israeli
community."
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