Construction on Israeli- Egyptian Security Fence Begins

22 November 2010 , 13:06

Today (Monday), construction work began to build a fence along the Israeli-Egyptian border in order to protect against security and criminal threats.

Construction on the Israeli- Egyptian security border fence began this morning (Monday) in order to prevent infiltrators and smugglers from entering Israel via the Egyptian border. The building project will start by focusing on a few select points along the border, with the aid of many engineering instruments which will prepare the land for construction. This project, which was approved eight months ago, has a budget of 1.35 billion shekels funded by the Israeli government.

The fence is expected to stretch for the

240 kilometer-long Israel-Egypt border, from the Kerem Shalom area until Tabah.

The fence is expected to stretch for the 240 kilometer-long Israel-Egypt border, from the Kerem Shalom area until Tabah. Part of the border will include a physical fence, while the other part of the fence will be equipped with alerting devices. According to IDF estimates, 1.3 tons of hash and 130 kilograms of heroin were smuggled through its border with Egypt in the previous year. 5,000 infiltrators also fled into Israel through its border.

For the past few months, an IDF construction center has been testing applications of the government’s decision to erect a border along Israel’s western border. In preparation for the on-site building, the Southern Command and the Technological and Logistics Directorate conducted a preliminary pilot which tested the security means to be used.

Due to difficult terrain in the area which includes quicksand, gusty winds and extreme weather, the Technological and Logistics Directorate will be aided by geology expects from Israel and overseas. Given that so far a complex construction project has yet to be built on the shifting sands of Israel, the IDF construction center has tested various alternatives from all over of the world with the help of industry and security experts. The center noted that Egypt and Saudi Arabia have already attempted to construct security barriers.
Source:http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/11/2202.htm

Christian accused of desecrating Qur'an jailed in Ethiopia

(christiansunite.com) - A Christian in Ethiopia's southern town of Moyale has been languishing in jail for two months after his Muslim business partner accused him of writing "Jesus is Lord" in a copy of the Qur'an.

Tamirat Woldegorgis, who is in his early 30s and is a member of the Full Gospel Church, was arrested in early August after his partner in their clothes-making business discovered Tamirat had inscribed "Jesus is Lord" on some cloth. His Muslim co-worker, whose name has not been established, went to a nearby mosque with the accusation that Tamirat had written "Jesus is Lord" in the Qur'an itself. Angry sheikhs at the mosque subsequently had Tamirat arrested for desecrating the book sacred to Islam.

Other sources have said, however, that Muslims accused Tamirat of writing "Jesus is Lord" on a piece of wood, on a minibus, and then on the wall of a house. A church leader who requested anonymity has stated that when two of Tamirat's friends enquired about him at the Moyale police station, they were jailed for two weeks.

In Ethiopia's federal state system, each state is autonomous in its administration, and most of those holding government positions in Somali Region Zone Five are Muslims. "We fear that our brother might be taken to Islamic court in Jijiga for trial, which will further threaten his life," the church leader said.

Authorities are reportedly offering to release Tamirat if he will convert to Islam. Tamirat is physically weak but strong in his faith, the church leader said, adding that he needs food and other material assistance, as well as an attorney. (Source: Compass Direct)
source:http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion09782.shtml

Church building destroyed in India

by Staff
November 22, 2010

(christiansunite.com) - Believers in an Indian village were working hard to construct a church building, only to have their hopes -- and their building -- dashed by anti-Christian militants.

Pastor Paul Joseph and his congregation had completed much of the building when anti-Christian militants arrived September 14. That afternoon, the intruders demolished half the building. Pastor Paul and other church leaders approached the police, but they refused to help.

On the following day, the militants pressured those living in the area to sign a petition against the church construction. Ignoring the believers' pleas to stop the destruction, they insisted, "We don't want any church in this area." They then reduced the rest of the building to a heap of rubble.

Although the congregation had received government permission to build the church building, the militants accused the church members of not having the proper permission to build. (Source: Gospel for Asia)