Three IDF soldiers were killed Saturday in a serious attack on the Egyptian border. Following the security incident, many Israelis are wondering if it is dangerous to vacation in Sinai in the near future and if there is a change in the NSC guidelines.
Eitan Ben David, who served as acting head of the National Security Council and was responsible for decisions of this kind, explains: "There is South Sinai and North Sinai, and the NSC's guidelines are different regarding these two areas. North Sinai has a Level 4 travel warning, which is the most severe, and South Sinai, the Sharm El Taba area, the areas where most Israelis vacation, has a Level 2 travel warning, which is considered relatively low. Yesterday's attack took place in northern Sinai, an area that has been defined as high risk for a long time, and at the moment there is no change."
"Always be alert"
He added: "It is important to emphasize that when such incidents occur and when they do not, there are always situation assessments by the National Security Council and an examination of the situation. I believe that if there had been a change, they would have updated as soon as possible, apparently there is no change and we must act in accordance with the official instructions of the Counterterrorism Bureau.
Many Israelis are planning to come to Sinai, is it worthwhile?, Photo: Lior Mizrahi
"Another important thing to emphasize is that if there is doubt, there is a way to contact the NSC and get guidance on certain areas. At the end of the day, one must exercise the necessary caution even in safer areas and always be alert," concludes Ben-David.
Former head of the National Security Council, Eitan Ben David, photo: Miki Ben Ari Mizrahi
An examination of the website of the Counterterrorism Headquarters shows that indeed the travel warning for the southern Sinai region, the area where most Israelis vacation, is level 2, low and the area of the serious incident that took place yesterday is level 4, so of course it is highly not recommended to approach this area.
In a conversation with sources involved in the matter, they explain that at the moment there is no real impact on vacationers in southern Sinai, and as long as official guidelines are not published, no conclusions should be drawn based on rumors on social networks.
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