22-Sep-12: Here's what the Israeli soldiers were doing when they came under terrorist attack Friday

[Image Source] 

On Friday afternoon, we reported ["21-Sep-12: Major mid-day attack on Israel from Sinai thwarted today, but no one thinks the problems are going away"] on an attack by heavily armed terrorist gunmen on Israel's Egyptian border.

Three terrorists, at least one of them wearing an explosive belt, were killed in the ensuing firefight and deaths and injuries on a much larger scale were averted. Unfortunately, a young IDF artillery corps soldier, 20-year-old Private Netanel Yahalomi from the Nof Ayalon community, serving the military portion of his Hesder service, was killed. (His rank was raised to corporal, posthumously.) Two terrorists escaped and it's reported that the Egyptians are searching for them.

Netanel Yahalomi z"l with mother
in a family picture

The terror attack began as the IDF soldiers were giving water to dehydrated Sudanese refugees at a border fence construction. The IDF Spokesperson's Office said the terrorists were dressed in civilian clothing, and used the Sudanese - who were making the dangerous crossing from Sinai into Israel - as human shields to mount their attack.

The background, as the New York Times reported two weeks ago, is that Israel has been forced to deal with a massive influx of sub-Saharan Africans, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan - more than 60,000 of them in the past two years. While Israel believes some are genuine refugees from war-torn countries, most are economic migrants seeking work and ready to make the perilous crossing of countries - notably Egypt - where the military shoot to kill (many have been killed trying to reach the Promised Land). Israel provides temporary protection for all who arrive from Sudan and Eritrea.

Times of Israel quotes a member of Egypt’s Supreme Military Council saying the attack on the Israelis was carried out by members of the terror group Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdes that is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.