An announcement from Israel on Sunday sent out a “severe travel warning” regarding Israelis traveling in the Sinai Peninsula, due to concerns about an immediate terrorist threat. The statement from the National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Bureau “underscores” the Sinai warning as a result of information that “terrorist organizations are continuing to work vigorously toward perpetrating attacks against Israeli tourists on the Sinai beaches in the immediate term.”
Israel routinely sends out travel warnings regarding the Sinai, whose beaches have been popular vacation spots for Israelis. However, events in the last year in the Sinai have highlighted the potential risk there.
The Sinai, technically controlled by Egypt, has become increasingly dangerous and lawless since the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Terrorists have staged attacks and launched missiles at Israel from the Sinai. In addition, terrorists have repeatedly blown up the natural gas line from Egypt to Israel and Jordan.
The latest warning from the Israeli Counter-Terrorism Bureau called upon Israelis to leave the Sinai “immediately and return home.” It also requested families of Israelis traveling in the Sinai to update those in the peninsula regarding the warning.
The Bureau reiterated its recommendation to those interested in traveling in the Sinai to “refrain from doing so.”
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, April 22, 2012)