New surveillance systems in West Bank

IDF unveils new technology after officer killed.

By YAAKOV KATZ
Policeman 'Shuki' Sofer zal 311 (photo credit: Israel Police)
Policeman 'Shuki' Sofer zal 311
(photo credit: Israel Police)
A day after a policeman was shot and killed on a road near Hebron, the IDF on Tuesday unveiled new technology it has installed throughout the West Bank, aimed at improving local residents’ sense of security.
Called OWL (Optical Watch Line), the system was developed and manufactured by Magana BSP, a company based in Dimona.
The OWL uses a pair of high-performance electrooptic cameras for surveillance and reconnaissance to prevent terrorist infiltrations into settlements and from the West Bank into Israel.
The system was first installed in the Hebron region and will be installed along the security barrier with the West Bank. The system’s operational radius is a kilometer, and the IDF has purchased several dozen so far.
In addition, the IDF has installed a new C4I system that can be used by local residents who come under attack while driving on West Bank roads. Until now, if residents were stoned or shot at while driving, they were able to call their local council’s command room, even if they were in a different part of the West Bank.
Then that command room would have to relay the report to the relevant regional command center, which would deploy to the scene.
“We found that this wasted time,” explained Col.
Miki Buskila, head of C4I in the IDF’s Central Command.
In order to improve the system, the IDF has established a new hot line – 1208 – which automatically directs callers to the region in which they are attacked.
The IDF can then pinpoint the caller’s exact location as well, if needed.
Finally, the Central Command has equipped border policemen who serve in the Cave of Patriarchs with new communication devices that have a distress button.
When pressed, it immediately sets off an alarm in a nearby command center and pinpoints the location of the border policeman.
“There is a problem installing cameras and systems inside the cave,” Buskila said. “This way, if a border policeman is stabbed or attacked, then all he has to do is press the distress button and the signal is automatically sent out.”