Ministry fight 'enemy' weeds along Sinai border

The Agriculture Ministry is teaching soldiers ways to combat a stealthy but quite “hostile” enemy – the weeds that creep up and spread along the country’s southern border.

Because the weeds that line the country’s border with Egypt have been long used as a hideout for illegal visitors, the ministry is conducting a training course for the army on how to deal with the plants properly.

Recognizing that the weeds could pose a threat to national security, the IDF turned to the ministry to gain expertise on how to remove the weeds. Following this request, ministry staff members began working to develop teaching protocols for efficient and effective spraying methods.

“The unique spraying course that we have built for the IDF is designed to teach IDF soldiers the principles of spraying and their application in the field,” said Boris Bordman, a spraying guide in the Agriculture Ministry’s Extension Service.

“In addition, we are teaching the soldiers toxicology subjects, methods of spraying, pest control for weeds in uncultivated areas and safety for spraying at work.”

The course is under way in Beersheba, and was preceded by a tour of the border perimeter to adapt the program to the needs of the IDF, the ministry said.