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Photo: AFP
Philadelphi route
Photo: AFP

Evil winds at Philadelphi

Suicide bombing in Eilat may be first in series of Gaza-based attacks

A suicide bomber carrying a large explosive device blew himself up in a residential neighborhood in Eilat Monday, killing three innocent people and taking Israel back to a bleak reality of blood, death and tears. The terror attack ended the bogus calm that has characterized recent months and created a false sense of normalcy.

 

Among the issues now being examined by the security establishment, the most prominent is the route taken by the terrorist to the location where he blew himself up and the method by which he succeeded in getting there with a ready-to-use explosive device. The common assumption is that he reached the tranquil resort city of Eilat via Egyptian territory. He set out from the Gaza Strip and under the sharp (and possibly supportive) eyes of the Egyptian police crossed the Philadelphi Route and then into Sinai. From there, the journey to the city of Eilat was a short one.

 

To date we have witnessed a continuous flow of various types of small arms making their way into the Gaza Strip via this Egyptian route.

 

Now we have learned the tough and painful way that in addition to weapons, drugs, prostitutes, illegal goods and workers – suicide bombers also take advantage of the outrageous lack of security along the border with Egypt in order to kill innocent Israelis, ruin families, and harm tourism – Eilat's main economic industry.

 

Disengagement shortcomings

Once again we are faced with the shortcomings of the decisions that led to the abandonment of the southern route and its irresponsible transfer to Egyptian security forces in cooperation with their Palestinian neighbors. What more needs to happen for us to realize that this is where the evil winds will begin to blow?

 

By means of this terror attack, terrorist organizations are attempting to divert world attention away from the developments inside the Gaza Strip – a civil war between Fatah supporters and Hamas that is expanding to the West Bank. The crisis in the Palestinian Authority worsened significantly following the "democratic elections" held there, which brought Hamas to power and created chaos in everything pertaining to the relationships among the Palestinians and with Israel.

 

The Strip is aflame and it is spreading and devouring every part of the fragile and problematic fabric comprising those interested in negotiations and those who have made it their obligation to defeat us by means of terror.

 

It was clear that as the internal PA dispute escalates, the Palestinians would also view it as a good opportunity to kill us and place the responsibility for developments inside the Authority on Israel. And now, the time is ripe and it caught us without warning and without intelligence – we suffered a deadly terror attack, which is a direct result of the civil war raging in Gaza.

 

It is no coincidence that terror organizations chose to target the remote city of Eilat located on the southernmost tip of Israel. Their leaders know for a fact that on our part we shall maintain our policy of restraint and forbearance that is void of any leadership and authority.

 

Civil war likely to worsen

Terror group chiefs know that when they target a remote periphery, the chances of an Israeli response are slim, just as we are not responding to the ongoing fire of Qassam rockets towards the Western Negev. Thus, they are achieving two objectives: They are pulling us into their internal infighting while also putting the blame on us.

 

The civil war in Gaza entered a new phase, and in all likelihood will continue to worsen. In order to emphasize our responsibility for what is going on there, the terror organizations - which are armed to the teeth and directing fire at each other - will direct their rifles towards us as well in a bid to exacerbate the situation in the area and to include us in the bloodletting.

 

The terror attack in Eilat illustrates this direction and may be the first act in a series of attacks perpetrated against Israel following months of misleading calm, with the intent of placing the blame of the civil war in the Palestinian Authority on our shoulders.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.30.07, 13:40
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