Sydalon-Yisrael border
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
The Sydalon-Yisrael border, known also as the Sydalene-Yisraeli border, is one of the most militarized and fortified borders in contemporary world history. It is a mixture of terrestrial and maritime boundaries, running from the conventional exclusive economic zone in the South Thalassan Ocean in the west, through the Judean Mountains. It continues through the equidistant center of the Kinneres Sea, which then follows the Yarden River for the entirety of its length until its deposit into the Great Salt Sea at the tripartite intersection of Sydalon, Yisrael, and Ascalzar. The border runs through the southern half the Great Salt Sea until reaching the Ascalene maritime boundary. The Sydalene-Yisraeli border picks up at the border town of Kiryat Zissen on the eastern side of Aszcalar where all three countries share another tripartite land boundary. It continues almost straight north until the coast. The border, including Ascalzar, is 4,384 sq km long. Until this international border was mutually agreed between both countries in the Yarden Accords, it has arguably been a major reason for the deadly West Scipian Wars of the early-to-mid 20th century.
History
First West Scipian War
20th century
21st century
Crossings
Both countries have three agreed-upon and jointly-controlled border crossings between them. The three are setup in the west, center, and east of the border, respectively, to permit the maximum ease of access for travelers, pilgrims, and commercial trade.
There is a jointly-constituted Border Control Board of Sydalene and Yisraeli representatives established to handle disputes, violations, and incidents that occur at the border checkpoints. The Royal Yisraeli Border Guard and Sydalene Royal Marshals (Sydalene: Regilu Marizcallu) have a fairly close working relationship due to these joint border facilities. This was officially established in the Ben David Memorandum after the 1973 Yarden Accords.
Western Crossing
- The Ashkelon-Zama Crossing: In the west, Yisrael and Sydalon have two border checkpoints between the Yisraeli city of Ashkelon and the Sydalene town of Zama, officially named "Border Checkpoint 1" and "Border Checkpoint 2." However, these crossings are informally nicknamed "Merchant Alley" and "Pilgrim Row," respectively. The first refers to the 8-lane checkpoint at Border Checkpoint 1 where the Yisraeli Highway 2 entering the Sydalene Highway X that is a major roadway conduit for cross-border commercial trucks and trailers conducting trade between the two countries. The second comments on Border Checkpoint 2, a smaller 2-lane crossing more frequented by Yisraeli Christians who take visits to see family and Christian holy sites in Sydalon.
There are ports of entry in both cities' seaports where flagged ships of the other nation may dock and undergo a customs and immigration check by dedicated border-control offices. This Crossing was established in January 1974 after the Yarden Accords and the Ben David Memorandum was signed.
Central Crossing
- The Hayan-Yericho Crossing: In the center, there is a Sydalene-Yisraeli crossing over a bridge (the Bridge of Jacob) on the Yarden River near Jewish and Christian holy sites on both sides of the river. The border crossing has border checkpoints at either end of the bridge, with the expanse of the bridge humorously remarked as a kind of "no man's land." The bridge is less than a mile from Yericho in Yisrael and about 0.5 miles from Hayan in Sydalon.
This crossing is the oldest between both countries, dating back in various iterations to the 18th century. The modern border crossing, including the bridge, was established in 1902, and except for the various wars and bilateral incidents, has been in continuous operation due to the nearness of sacred holy sites in the Yarden River Valley and the religious nature of both countries.
Eastern Crossing
- The Elifaz-Sant Kyrillus Crossing: In the east, there is a bilateral border crossing through the border towns of Elifaz (Yisrael) and Sant Kyrillus (Sydalon). There is a four-lane border checkpoint, approximately 0.4 miles from Eliphaz and 0.7 miles from Sant Kyrillus, where the Yisraeli Highway 4 meets the Sydalene [roadway Y].
There is a customs office for Sydalene-flagged vessels at the seaport of Dervaylik in Yisrael and the reciprocal arrangement in the port of Petra for Yisraeli-flagged ships.
Border barrier and fortifications
The border is demarcated through physical border barriers except in the maritime sections or where physical entry is virtually impassable, such as the mountain heights in the Judean mountain range in west-central West Scipia. In the flat woodlands, hilly, and semi-arid desert areas, the border fortifications are typically the strongest as these areas are strategic locales for military maneuvers. Both the Sydalene Defense Forces and their Yisraeli counterparts maintain strings of military bases, anti-tank and -personnel fences and barriers, bunkers, and observation posts along these sectors of the border.
Fortifications grow lighter in the highest heights of the Judean Mountains and the Yarden River Valley, where physical impassability of moving heavy military equipment and vehicles and strong tourist and pilgrimage attraction, respectively, has led to both sides leaving these areas more lightly fortified. Instead, double-layer fences, anti-vehicle obstacles, observation posts, and well-patrolled border-adjacent access roads are usually employed.
The only major exception to the "lightly-barricaded mountainous area" rule maintained by both sides is the Mount Hermon Heights, a significant salient during the fourth and last Sydalene-Yisraeli war in the 1960s where Sydalene forces attempted to encircle and cutoff Yisraeli forces during the west-central offensive into Outer Yisrael. In this region, there are extensive mountainous fortifications, many of which are maintained to this day, including bunkers, camouflaged artillery, and ground patrols.
Border guard forces
Sydalene Royal Marshals
The Sydalene Royal Marshals (Regilu Marizcallu) are responsible for maintaining control of Sydalene borders. Royal Marshals are active members of the Sydalene military, under the jurisdiction of the Army.
Yisraeli Royal Border Guard
The Royal Yisraeli Border Guard (the Magav) is responsible on the Yisraeli side for maintaining control of the border zone. Unlike many other countries, the Yisraeli border guard is a full military service and not a paramilitary or civilian parapolice agency. As such, the Chief Inspector of the RYBG answers to the Defense Minister. There is a high level of coordination between the Border Guard and Royal Yisraeli Army units stationed in the border zone. The RYBG has full military, security, and law enforcement authority to carry out its mandates in Outer Yisrael, which consists collectively of all the border zones.