Egyptian police killed in attack in Sinai

While it has issued similar warnings several times in the past, many Israelis ignore them, pressing forward with plans to enjoy a relatively cheap beach vacation.

"The Counter-Terrorism Bureau once again urges all Israelis in Sinai to leave the region immediately and return to Israel," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Counterterrorism Bureau asks the families of Israelis in Sinai to make contact with them and inform them of this warning. In addition, the bureau strongly recommends that all those planning to go to Sinai refrain from doing so."

The agency has had a travel advisory in place for Sinai for several years now, but the security situation there deteriorated drastically after last year's Egyptian revolution. Over the past year, two serious cross-border terror attacks have been launched at Israel from Sinai, both by terrorist groups affiliated with Al-Qaida.

The agency has had a travel advisory in place for Sinai for several years now, but the security situation there deteriorated drastically after last year's Egyptian revolution. Over the past year, two serious cross-border terror attacks have been launched at Israel from Sinai, both by terrorist groups affiliated with Al-Qaida.

Sunday night's attack of the Egyptian military post and cross-border incursion was the largest attack carried out in Sinai by Global Jihad operatives against both an Egyptian target and an Israeli target.
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In recent months there have been almost daily incidents between the Egyptian army and armed members of Jihadist groups, and there have been repeated reports of Egyptian soldiers shot by these extremists, who belong to cells identified with Al-Qaida coming from all over the Middle East.

The two terrorists responsible for the attack that killed Fashafshe came from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. There are reportedly Al-Qaida forces in Sinai from Yemen, Iraq, Syria and other Arab and Muslim countries. These groups are supported by the local Bedouin and it cannot be ruled out that Sinai Bedouin took part in planning and executing Sunday's attack. Meanwhile, various other terror groups in the Gaza Strip are assisting them and smuggling arms and goods into the Strip.

About 1,000 soldiers belonging to the Egyptian Border Police are currently stationed in Sinai, as are other Egyptian soldiers, but their focus is on guarding the strip of coast and the roads leading to the main northern Sinai cities of El Arish and Rafah. They do not belong to elite units and are not trained to face terrorists. Their posts are poorly protected and they face Sinai, rather than Israel, out of fear of attack from Bedouin gangs or Islamicists. In many ways the neglect of the Egyptian government, which began back in the time of Mubarak, has helped turn Sinai into a no-man's land controled by Global Jihad groups and armed Bedouin.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/sinai-attack-proves-islamist-terrorists-are-targeting-egyptians-as-well-as-israelis-1.456174

6 August 2012 Last updated at 14:22 GMT

Egypt Israel border attack leaves 'eight gunmen dead'

Israel says it has found the bodies of eight gunmen who attacked a checkpoint on its border with Egypt, killing 16 Egyptian policemen.

The attackers attacked a border post at Rafah, captured two Egyptian army vehicles and then tried to smash their way over the border, Israel said.

One vehicle apparently blew up at the Kerem Shalom crossing, while the other was destroyed by the Israeli air force.

Egypt has declared three days of mourning for the dead policemen.

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