Israelis flock to Sinai despite terror alerts
In spite of concrete warnings issued by Counter-Terrorism Bureau, some 50,000 vacationers expected to cross into Egypt during Passover. 'If people want to gamble on their lives, let them go ahead,' bureau official says. 'Isn't it dangerous in Israel as well?' Israeli resorter asks
This figure also includes tourists, and sources in the industry have estimated that the number of Israelis among them will total 10,000.
The National Security Council has been warning the Israeli public against visiting various Arab countries, including Jordan and Egypt, for some time now. The alert level was raised after Palestinian gunmen dismantled the concrete wall on the Egypt-Gaza border in January.
According to the council, the threat level in regards to Jordan and Egypt is the worst possible and is dubbed "a very high concrete threat." The Counter-Terrorism Bureau's recommendation is that Israelis should refrain from visiting these two countries or leave them immediately if already in them.
'Wasted efforts'
Elkana Har Nof of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau stresses that the fact the threat has remained unchanged for several months does not mean that it is not valid. "The threat level is completely up-to-date. There are constant concrete threats and we don’t even have time to discuss a break."
"I can't forbid people to travel and the warnings are only recommendations," Har Nof says. "But I have the full intelligence picture and it is my job to warn the public."
He explains that at the moment "there are two patterns of terror attacks evolving in Sinai – bombings, which include the explosion of explosive devices in crowded places, and kidnappings. Those traveling to Sinai these days are endangering themselves and their loved ones."
Har Nof is aware of the fact that many citizens ignore the Couter-Terrorism Bureau's warning despite its severity. "Before the previous attack in Sinai they also said everything was calm. If people want to gamble on their lives, let them go ahead."
Har Nof claims that the primary risk takers are youngsters and hikers, and is frustrated by his failure to reach them. "In Taba, for example, despite the Egyptians' sensitivity, we have introduced electronic signs showing those crossing the terminal the full version of the travel warning. We have checked how helpful it is, and what did we discover? That these are wasted efforts."
Despite all this, Har Nof says, a change has been noted in the wide public's conduct in recent years: "Many people call the Counter-Terrorism Bureau in order to receive information on the current warnings before leaving abroad. If in the past 80,000 or 90,000 people would leave for Sinai during Passover, the numbers are now lower. This shows we have somehow penetrated the public's awareness."
Last year saw a similar situation. Despite a concrete warning, some 50,000 Israelis crossed into Sinai through the Taba terminal, while some 12,000 Israelis crossed the Arava terminal on their way to Jordan.
Voice of the people
Nurit, 34, of Moshav Ben Shemen, is planning a three-day vacation in Sinai. "I travel to Sinai on a regular basis, and I usually like to go there during warning times, because there are less people and you feel the calm, but this time I was really scared and seriously considered it," she says.
"I was convinced after looking at the map and seeing that the Gaza-Egypt border is as far from Sinai as is the entire State of Israel. Isn’t it dangerous here? Every year I celebrate the seder night with my family at a hotel, and six years ago there was a terror attack in a hotel."
Nurit says that she is being cautious. She shortened her planned one-week vacation to three days, and chose to spend it at a relatively isolated beach rather than at one of the crowded beaches which "attract fire."
She admits, however, that "if I was married with children, I wouldn't travel. But as long as I am only responsible for myself, I don’t care."
Racheli, 34, of Tel Aviv, also plans to spend the holiday in Sinai despite the warnings.
"The last time I was in Sinai I missed the terror attack by two days. It took me some time to calm down, and now we are going. I'm traveling with my family, and we are not going there wholeheartedly, as we have two small children."
She adds, however, that "we must be more cautious about the taxis and the way they drive than about the warnings.'"
