A 40-kilometer stretch of road, the first stretch of a new strategic highway linking Jerusalem and Beersbeba, the capital of the Negev in the south. was opened today.
The new 80-kilometer road, when completed, will cut travel distance between the two cities by 30 kilometers. The new road traverses a hitherto will and unpopulated area close to the Jordan-Israel frontier which has long been used as a haven by Arab infiltrators. It will enable more frequent and effective patrolling of the region by Israeli security forces.
The road, being constructed by the Jewish National Fund through difficult and mountainous terrain, will open the area for reclamation and agricultural settlement. Brigadier Chaim Laskov, Israeli Chief of Staff, inspected the road today and stressed its usefulness in maintaining Israel’s security.
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