Israelis tend to love vacationing in Sinai, a small peninsula situated in Egypt that was once occupied by Israel before its return as part of a peace deal. Sinai is somewhat like the Israeli beach town of Eilat — they’re both on the Red Sea and boast some of the world’s best scuba diving. But, that’s about where the similarities end. Sinai is much cheaper, far less developed, and, well, filled with Egyptians as opposed to Israelis. But, Israelis love vacationing there and will rent a small cabin or sleep outside, often welcomed by the local population.
However, occasionally the Israeli government issues a stern warning to travelers that terrorists are plotting to kidnap unsuspecting Israeli tourists. In fact, last year the Egyptian government apprehended terrorists suspected of plotting to kidnap Israelis.
Well, it’s that time of the year again and the Israeli government issued another warning to Israelis to return immediately if they are vacationing in Sinai.
This time might be a bit different, though, as the prime minister’s anti-terror office instructed families to attempt and get in touch with vacationers. This step could signal that an Israeli has been kidnapped or directly targeted, although that worry is currently merely rumors and speculation.
Tension in Sinai has also escalated in recent years. In 2005 and 2006 dozens of vacationers were killed in two attacks in the peninsula. Further, fallout from Israel’s most recent strikes on the Gaza Strip have continued to galvanize extremism.