The plan is meant to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the country. The structure should cost US$ 370 million and take a year to build.

Tel Aviv (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Work begins on the Egypt-Israel border to build a barrier designed, according to Israeli authorities, to stem the flow of illegal migrants into country. Bulldozers have begun their work already.

The Defence Ministry said the structure will cost the country approximately US$ 370 million and should take up to a year to complete.  Electronic sensors will also bolster the barrier.

Earlier this month, Interior Ministry spokesperson Sabine Haddad announced that the number of African economic migrants and asylum seekers sneaking into Israel had leaped this year.

On average, some 1,100 people were slipping into Israel each month through its southern border with Egypt, Haddad said. Last year's average monthly number was 350 people.

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