'Do not test us': Netanyahu touts new 'massive' eastern border wall, defense plans

The vast majority of the border wall will cover the Jordanian border. Netanyahu explained that it would complement the nation's existing security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the new section of the security barrier being built along Israel's eastern border on Thursday, which will run from the Yarmouk River at the border between Jordan, Syria, and Israel in the north, all the way to Israel's southernmost city, Eilat. 

The vast majority of the approximately 400 km-long border wall will cover the Jordanian border. Netanyahu explained that it would complement the nation's existing security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. He added that the new eastern border wall would have anti-drone defense capabilities, although he did not go into further detail.

"There is enormous work here – massive engineering work, massive logistical work, mobilization of the Israel Defense Forces, mobilization of the reserves," Netanyahu said. "All of this power comes to say to Israel's enemies: Do not test us."

The new eastern border wall, according to the prime minister, represents "maximum defense so that we can protect the citizens of Israel and prevent anyone from even thinking about invading the State of Israel."

Netanyahu was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, Head of the Defense Ministry's Borders and Seam Line Administration, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Eran Ofir, 96th Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Oren Simcha, and other commanders on his tour of the site.

Katz issued his own statements to the press during the visit, saying that while the border wall is a critical aspect of Israel's security and defense plans, it comes second to having "an active, pro-active, offensive policy led by the prime minister, the State of Israel, and the IDF, facing distant Iran and close threats alike."

Later in the day, Netanayhu announced he would hold a security meeting Thursday evening with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director David Zini, and Mossad head Roman Gofman.

The prime minister touts secure border during reelection campaign

The Israeli security establishment currently has a large force, the Border Police, dedicated to ground-level protection across all of Israel's borders. This is in addition to the IDF presence in the security zones at the borders with Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, which have all been heavily reinforced in recent years due to the Israel-Hamas war and ensuing regional conflicts.

Netaynahu's visit to the eastern border comes less than two weeks before the 2026 Knesset elections, the first Israeli elections since before the October 7 massacre. In light of his bid for re-election, the prime minister recently fielded questions from Israeli reporters about the part he may have played in allowing the nation to be taken by surprise on the morning of October 7, leading to thousands of deaths at the hands of Hamas invaders. 

The prime minister has also come under scrutiny for his plan to create an independent ministerial committee to investigate the handling of the October 7 massacre - a plan which was put forward in November 2025 and has yet to be realized.

What is more, Netanyahu told KAN on Wednesday that Likud would keep the Defense Minister portfolio in a future government, while cautioning against distributing ministerial positions before the election results were known.