Jerusalem, Feb 10 (IANS): Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he has plans to encircle Israel with fences because the Mideast is filled with "wild beasts" that imperil the Jewish country.

"We are preparing a multi-year plan to surround the entire State of Israel with security fences to protect ourselves in the current Middle East," Netanyahu said during a tour to the construction site of a new fence along its eastern border with Jordan, Xinhua reported.

"In the place where we live, we must defend ourselves against the wild beasts," Netanyahu said, apparently referring to Islamist militants.

He also said that openings in the separation wall in the West Bank will be sealed off.

On January 20, Israel began the construction of a 30-km-long barrier along its border with Jordan. The fence will stretch from the resort city of Eilat, Israel's southernmost city, to the airport of Timna.

It will cost about 288 million shekels, (over $74 million), according to a statement released last month by the Ministry of Defence.

The fence will be the latest "security fence" erected by Israel. In 2013, Israel completed the construction of a 240-km-long fence along its border with Egypt to stop African asylum seekers and militants.