Deadly Israeli-Egyptian border attack
ISRAEL TODAY
JERUSALEM - A firefight that left three people dead erupted along the Israel-Egypt border on Monday just two days after Sinai-based terrorists fired two medium-range missile into southern Israel.
A group of at least three terrorists crossed from the Egyptian Sinai into southern Israel and attacked a group of construction workers who were building a portion of the new border fence. One construction worker was killed and another seriously wounded in the attack.
A team of IDF soldiers quickly responded to the scene killing two terrorists and causing the others to flee. Residents of southern Israel were warned to remain indoors.
On Saturday, forces operating out of the Egyptian-controlled Sinai Peninsula fired two medium-range Grad missiles at targets in southern Israel.
The missiles landed near the Negev town of Mitzpe Ramon and the Uvda Airfield, where Israel is mulling the construction of a new international airport. Both sites had never before been targeted by terrorist rocket fire.
Around this time last year, a terrorist cell infiltrated southern Israel from the Sinai and murdered seven Israeli motorists and one army officer on the highway leading to Eilat.
This week’s attacks came as Egyptians were electing a new president for the first time since the fall of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.
The leading candidate in the run-off presidential vote that took place over the weekend is Mohammed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Mursi has already declared victory, and Israel fears that with the Brotherhood in control of both Egypt’s parliament and presidency, open war between the two nations is only a matter of time.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that the attacks from Sinai must be curbed.
“Whoever is elected, we expect him to take responsibility for all of Egypt’s international commitments, including the peace treaty with Israel and the security arrangements within Sinai, and to put a quick end to these attacks,” Barak told reporters following Monday’s attack.
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Posted by Gary
on Jun 18 2012. Filed under Breaking News, Terrorism/Homeland Security, Top stories, World.
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OK well I think this is it. This is the start of Isreals new “insecurity” as a result of the Arab spring.Direct military action by forces unprevented by the Egyptian military from doing so. We will see more incidents like this one and they will be designed by al queda, hamas and others to drive a wedge between the Egyptian and Isreali governments. How long will Isreal tolerate rocket attacks coming from EGYPTIAN TERRITORY?trusting in Egypt to ‘handle the situation”? How many times will Isreal be able to respond before national pride and the people of egypts hatred for Isreal forces the government to defend against Isreali ” attacks or invasions?” Its “game on” for al queda, hamas, iran and others and Obama, IMO has better play the pragmatic hand and let the egyptian military re-assert its control over the “people”.
Since “terrorists” have perpetrated these acts the Egyptian government will claim her skirts are clean and any retaliation by Israel will be looked on as an act of war by those not favorable to Israel. I have long advocated that Israel create para military groups that are independent of the Israeli government, on paper. Then when these groups retaliate Israel can also lift her dainty skirts and say “no mud here.”
These new attacks from “Egyptian Territory” smack to me of the Hamas rebels just moving a little farther away from Gaza, because they can get away with it.
Last year as Murabak fell, many (particularly YOUNG)”people in the street”in Egypt were asked their opinion of whether the cease fire with Israel should be continued or honored, and most were apathetic or blatantly said no. I don”t think the realise the all out rammifications of this type of thing being allowed to happen, and I agree with irebukeu, the Egyptian military cannot allow this to continue to happen without EXPECTING retaliation.