<div><p>The Israeli government on Sunday approved the construction of a barrier along the border with Egypt in a bid to curb the infiltration of illegal immigrants, a government official said.</p><p>A government committee approved the construction of three barriers along the 250-kilometre (155-mile) desert frontier that would block the main infiltration routes, the official said.</p><p>The project, which was put forward by the military, was expected to cost between one billion dollars and 1.5 billion dollars, he told AFP.</p><p>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the meeting that the Jewish state would continue to allow entry for asylum seekers, most of whom come from Darfur.</p><p>"Israel will allow entry to refugees from areas of conflict, but will not allow its borders to be used to flood the country with illegal workers," a senior official quoted Netanyahu as saying during a cabinet meeting.</p><p>The Israel-Egypt border has become a major transit route for migrants, asylum-seekers and drug smugglers, and Israel has asked Egypt to clamp down on the traffic.</p><p>Israel has struggled to put a lid on the influx of human traffic.</p><p>According to the interior ministry, some 300,000 illegal aliens -- including 100,000 migrants, tourists who overstayed their visit and Palestinians -- live in Israel which is home to seven million people.</p><p>But human rights groups say that these figures are inflated.</p><p>Egypt's policy of shooting migrants has generated harsh criticism from human rights groups. The migrants say they try to leave Egypt because of poverty and racism.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=66662102&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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