Monday, January 28, 2013

28-Jan-13: But don't forget the south...

Israel's recently enhanced Sinai border [Image Source]
Israel is focused on the north. But the south keeps coming back to remind us that life is never entirely simple. There was an attempted infiltration of the Israel-Egypt border last night (Sunday) in which gunmen approaching from the Sinai came up to the Israeli border and attempted to get through the fence, according to an IDF report today. Just as this was happening, a vehicle on the Israeli side of the fence drove into the closed military zone that runs along the Israeli side of the border and towards where the men from Sinai seemed to be heading. Soldiers from an IDF patrol called out warnings to all the suspects to stop. Their calls were ignored and in accordance with IDF rules of engagement, they fired into the air. They next opened fire on the vehicle coming from the Israeli side, hitting two people on board and injuring them. The intruders from the Sinai side ran off. It's possible this was "nothing more" than a failed drug-smuggling attempt. But in the circumstances it's easy to understand how the IDF would first treat it as a terror attack and ask questions afterwards. The Jerusalem Post has some additional details.

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