Royal Yisraeli Border Guard
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| Royal Yisraeli Border Guard מג"ב | |
|---|---|
| Common name | Magav (lit. "border guard"); plural: Magavnikim |
| Abbreviation | RYBG |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1952 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Employees | ~8,500 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency (Operations jurisdiction) | Yisrael |
| Operations jurisdiction | Yisrael |
| Legal jurisdiction | Outer Yisrael |
| Governing body | Royal Yisraeli Defense Forces |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Yerushalayim, Yisrael |
| Agency executive |
|
The Royal Yisraeli Border Guard (Modern Hebrew: מִשְׁמַר הַגְּבוּל), also referred to as Magav or RYBG (colloquially), is the militarized border security service of Yisrael. Its duties include the control, maintenance, and protection of the borders of Yisrael, particularly its long border with Sydalon. Secondary duties include counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and domestic law enforcement inside the border zone.
It works closely with the Royal Yisraeli Army, Yisraeli Intelligence and Yisraeli Security. It is one of five military services of the Royal Yisraeli Defense Forces. It also notably has a high number of ethno-religious minorities serve in its ranks during their national service or their voluntary enlistment.
Role and mandate
The Border Guard has a litany of border control duties, including but not limited to:
- Preventing illegal entry of the border;
- Repulsing armed non-military foreign incursions into Yisrael;
- Preventing illegal transport of weapons, explosives, contraband or subversive literature across the border;
- Observing all proper border identification and inspection protocols;
- Assisting other agencies in related affairs and cases, including:
- law enforcement in the form of the trafficking of fugitives, criminals, and other indicted persons (Yisraeli Security);
- counterintelligence in the form of the trafficking of spies and foreign operatives (Yisraeli Intelligence);
- counterterrorism in the form of trafficking of Christian terrorists or transport of their materials (various agencies).
Magav personnel are authorized to examine documents and possessions of persons crossing the borders and to confiscate articles; to conduct inquiries in cases of violations of the royal border; and to take such actions as to arrest, search, and interrogate individuals suspected of border violations.
The RYBG is only authorized to operate in Outer Yisrael, which is the official border zone throughout the frontiers of Yisrael.
History
As part of the 1952 Royal Reform Acts, the Royal Armed Forces were reorganized after the Year of Blood. The Royal Yisraeli Frontier Service was restructured to its present name and organization. It was "upgraded" from a parapolice/paramilitary civilian government agency into a proper and full military service, increasing the military services of the Defense Forces from four to five. A foreign intelligence corps part of the old Frontier Service was transferred to Yisraeli Intelligence.
During the Fourth West Scipian War, the Magavnikim were ordered to withdraw and abandon their border checkpoints, crossings, observation posts, and regular patrols once Royal Intelligence received advanced intelligence that Sydalene forces were about to invade, sparking the fourth and last Sydalene-Yisraeli war.
Organization
- Border Customs, Inspection, and Immigration Section: Border guards assigned here staff the border checkpoints and ports of entry, largely for standard customs, inspections, and immigration control.
- Border Field Patrol and Observation Section: Border guards in this division are posted to a string of observation posts and regular vehicular and helicopter patrols at or close to the physical border. This includes a maritime coast guard unit at Yisrael's western and eastern coasts.
- Internal Border Control Section: Border guards posted here are assigned to internal checkpoints further inland from the border, particularly in the Yarden River Valley. These were established in 1980 as the Valley served as a bastion for the general campaign of terror by pro-Sydalon Yisraeli Christians. These posts served to deter or to catch illegal immigration of Sydalene supporters of Yisraeli Christian terrorists into the country and the transport of terrorist materials, weapons, and other contraband.
- Special Operations Section: Border guards, often the top-ranked in their class and/or field duty, man a number of special operation units. See Special units of the Royal Yisraeli Border Guard.
Gallery
Members of a special weapons and tactics unit preparing for the 2011 Yericho riots.
Two members of the Customs, Inspection, and Immigration section with a plainclothes Yisraeli Security officer conducting a search of a shuk for well-known fugitive Adam Zeitner in February 2009 after his well-reported breakout from jail.
Three border guards of the Field Observation and Patrol section having a discussion near the southern border.
Two Magavnikim checking passports and visas at the Western Crossing of the Sydalene-Yisraeli border, c. 2018.
List of equipment
The Magav uses largely a limited collection of small arms, chiefly the VI-9P and GP-17/19 pistols, BR-055 family of assault rifles, and the BS-08 and BS-16 submachine guns. Other weapons are issued as needed.
The RYBG uses standard vests, helmets, and non-combat green-gray uniforms of the Defense Forces.
Vehicles employed include the Desert Feline (fast patrol sports utility vehicles), Dovid MT (light personnel carriers), and a variety of other light and armored patrol trucks and cars.