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Israelis warned against spending Passover in Sinai
Counter-Terrorism Bureau issues annual list of unsafe travel destinations for Israelis, Sinai tops list again
For many Israelis, Passover means a lazy vacation of sun, sand and surf on Egypt's Sinai shores. Despite deadly terror attacks that have targeted Israelis and foreigners in the past, the average Israeli opts time and again for this affordable and fuss-free holiday venue.
On Wednesday the Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued its annual warning list for Israelis traveling abroad and Sinai again topped the list of destinations. Other countries deemed dangerous by the bureau were most Arab nations, Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria.
The bureau emphasized that the warnings were offered as a recommendation only and that there was no law forbidding travel to any of these destinations. However, they said the recommendations should not be taken lightly.
Vacation huts in Sinai
Sinai and Egypt in general were defined by the bureau as 'a very high tangible risk' for terrorism and Israeli citizens were urged to avoid these locations or leave them immediately if already there.
Past experience shows that Israelis are adept at pushing aside the images of terror-hit beachfronts and thousands line up at the Egyptian border crossing every year.
'Be suspicious of surprise meetings abroad'
The bureau also warned of a standing threat of Hizbullah kidnapping. Citizens were warned to be wary of unexpected lucrative offers abroad, surprise gift vacation packages and free accommodations from suspicious or strange persons. The bureau also urged Israelis to postpone invitations for unscheduled meetings with unfamiliar parties in isolated locations, especially during nighttime.
Besides travel abroad the bureau also warned Israelis of transporting illegal Palestinian workers. "Israeli citizens who transport Palestinians who are in the county illegally are causing serious damage to counter-terror efforts and are directly aiding potential terrorism," said bureau officials.
