Occupied Jerusalem: The Israeli military on Monday began building a wall that will run several kilometres along part of its border with Lebanon, a military spokeswoman said.
"This construction, which began on Monday, is being carried out in coordination with Unifil [the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] and the Lebanese army. The wall is intended to avoid frictions on the border," she said.
An Israeli security fence already runs along the entire border but the military said defences had to be bolstered with a 5-7 metre-(16-23 feet) high cement wall between the Israeli town of Metulla and the Lebanese village of Kila.
Israeli public radio said the wall would be several metres high and intended to protect the Israeli border town of Metulla from fire coming from the Lebanese side. It is expected to take several weeks to build.
Sniper fire
Israel's military announced the project in January, saying it would protect recently-constructed apartment blocks in Metulla from sniper fire coming from the Lebanese border town of Kfar Kila.
"In the past year and a half there have been a number of incidents," Colonel Amit Fisher, a senior commander on the border, told Israel Radio.
Israel and Lebanon are technically at war but military officers from the two sides meet regularly under the auspices of Unifil to coordinate security along their joint border.
Israel fought a devastating war against Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in 2006, which cost the lives of more than 1,400 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Israel is also building a security fence in its south, along the border with Egypt's Sinai desert, citing concerns over fighter activity and smuggling.
An Israeli barrier also twists through the occupied West Bank.
Israel says the project, begun during a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings inside Israeli cities, has bolstered its security.
Palestinians call it a land grab and the World Court has deemed the barrier illegal.
