From this:

On Sunday, Israel announced it would build a wall along its southern border with Egypt in a move to secure an area through which thousands of African asylum seekers cross illegally each year.

''This is a strategic decision to ensure the Jewish and democratic character of the state of Israel,'' said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. ''Israel will remain open to war refugees but we cannot allow thousands of illegal workers to infiltrate into Israel via the southern border and flood our country.”