Earlier this week the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) censor lifted a gag order on a story regarding a young woman who apparently just “strolled” into Syria from the Mt. Hermon area on Israel’s Golan Heights. It has been reported that Russia has been serving as an intermediary between the Syrian and Israeli parties. In exchange for releasing the woman, Syria is demanding Israel release several of its citizens being held as prisoners in Israel. This is just the latest incident where an Israeli citizen, often mentally disturbed, simply walks into enemy territory. In 2014 Avera Avraham Mengitsu, an Israeli citizen of Ethiopian origin, walked south on the Mediterranean coast, evading Israeli patrols and entering Gaza. He has not been heard of since. Since this incident, the IDF has beefed up its security fence on the Gaza border, including constructing a fence several hundred meters into the sea.
The question to be asked is why is there no fence on the northern Golan between Syria and Israel? The answer is quiet simple: terrain. The Mt. Hermon area, shared by Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, reaches heights close to 10,000 feet. Gully’s, ravines, and precipices dot the landscape. It would be nearly impossible from an engineering stand point for Israel to fence in their side of the frontier. So what can the IDF do in the mean time to prevent errant citizens from crossing the border, either advertently or inadvertently, and then forcing the State to pay an enormous price politically and security wise in order to have its citizens returned back home? Surveillance teams and reconnaissance patrols need to be trained to look not only across the border, searching out terrorists who are trying to infiltrate into Israel, but also need to be taught to look towards the homeland once in a while. While on the surface this seems to go against the IDF’s raison d’etre, the realities of the bigger diplomatic and political consequences to be paid returning a citizen far out way tactical military considerations.
Will Israel finally build a fence around Mt. Hermon
