The deadly wave of terrorism in Israel, which made headlines over the issue of illegal weapons in Arab society and among Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, also requires a spotlight on arms smuggling from Jordan to the Palestinian Authority and the Arab sector in Israel - and the situation is no less bleak.
The border between Israel and Jordan is very long.
There is an inductive fence along it, but it was built in the 1980s and 1990s and is not a real obstacle, especially given the route of the challenging area, where there are quite a few hidden roads for smugglers.
And if that is not enough, due to it being a border of peace, the IDF does not allocate many forces along its length.
The result, according to estimates: within five years, hundreds of weapons of various kinds were smuggled into Israel, and these were transferred to terrorist organizations, to force elements in Palestinian society, to criminal organizations in Arab society in Israel, and more.
In recent years, after the IDF erected a new and formidable barrier on the Israel-Egypt border, the rate of smuggling through the Jordanian border has increased - including M-16 and Kalashnikov rifles, shotguns, pistols, sniper rifles and more.
The smuggling is also taking place in the Jordan Valley, but also north of it, in the Jordan Valley and the Valley of the Springs.
According to estimates, in addition to Palestinians involved in smuggling from the Israeli side, there are also Bedouin residents of the south and north, and in a few cases Arab-Israeli residents of the Galilee.
According to military data, during the years 2021-2020, 15 smuggling of weapons into Israel were thwarted, in which 262 weapons were seized, but intelligence information indicated that in retrospect, about 1,400 un seized weapons were smuggled into Israel in the two years.
In the three months since the beginning of 2022, there has been an improvement in the field, after the security forces managed to thwart six smugglings and seized 147 weapons - as in 2021 as a whole.
In total, whether captured or not, more than 1,600 weapons were smuggled into Israel in 2021-2020.
To explain to the ear how much the smuggling is a lucrative business, we will note, for example, that the price of an M-16 rifle, which was sold in Jordan for about 25,000 shekels, is doubled in Judea and Samaria, and if it can be smuggled into Israel, it is even up to 80,000 shekels.
Boundary in boundaries
Recently, the defense establishment has invested quite a bit of money, as part of a "swing in the borders" program, to improve the response on the eastern border.
Among other things, the IDF added means of collection and observation, including cameras, masts and radars, and decided to increase the "Lavie Baka" and "Jordan Lions" battalions, which are subordinate to the Baka Brigade.
Thanks to the many measures deployed along the border, changing methods of operation and the establishment of a unified Knesset for security organizations, the IDF estimates that although the smugglers' motivation remains the same, it is much more difficult for them today.
It is also important to note the fruitful cooperation with Jordan to prevent smuggling, which also includes joint patrols along the border and the transfer of intelligence information.
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