Israel Calls for Egypt Response to Brazen Assault

Terrorists staged a massive attack on the Israeli border Sunday night, firing rockets and mortars at Israeli towns as cover for two stolen Egyptian armored vehicles in an attempt to crash through the security fence into Israeli territory where they were counter-attacked and stopped by Israeli forces.

The attack apparently began on the Egyptian side of the border with Israel and the Gaza Strip when terrorists attacked an Egyptian security post. Initial reports indicated at least 16 Egyptian security personnel were killed, the Al-Arabiya newspaper reported.

The terrorists hijacked two Egyptian armored vehicles. The first one was loaded with explosives and detonated on the border fence to blow an opening. The second vehicle drove into Israel where it was attacked and stopped by Israeli forces with at least three terrorists killed, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig.  Gen. Yoav Mordechai said in a radio interview.

Senior security officials said that the terrorists who tried to infiltrate Israel were carrying out a major terror attack. "Should they have succeeded, it could have been a very serious terror attack. A major disaster has been prevented," the YNET news service reported.

Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians were ordered to stay in their homes as Palestinians in neighboring Gaza fired mortars and rockets at Israeli towns in the area as an apparent cover for the attack. Only one injury was reported on the Israeli side as forces scoured the area to ensure there were no other terrorists.

“We are in contact with the Egyptians. I think this incident is no less serious for them as it is for us,” Mordechai said. In June terrorists attacked the border fence between Israel and Egypt only a few kilometers away from where Sunday’s attack to place, killing an Israeli civilian.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday toured the site of the attack on Monday, crediting quick reaction by Israeli forces in foiling the terrorists.

“I would also like to express regret over the killing of the Egyptian soldiers,” Netanyahu said. “I think that it is clear that Israel and Egypt have a common interest in maintaining a quiet border.”

“There is no doubt that if they had entered a town here or an army bases by surprise, they could have caused very serious damage,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.  “I hope this will be a wake-up call to Egypt on the need to be sharp and efficient on their side. The struggle here is the along the entire border ... as well as the border around the Gaza Strip, against the continuing intentions of terrorists to harm us.”
The collapse of the Mubarak government in Cairo in 2011 exacerbated a decline in control over the Sinai Peninsula, allowing terrorist groups to move in and stage numerous attacks against both Israeli and Egyptian targets. Both Israel and the U.S. State Department issued warnings before Sunday’s attack that were not taken seriously by Egyptian officials.

The former Israeli army commander of the Israel-Egypt border area called on the Egyptians not to sweep the Sinai problems under the rug.

“On the ground there is good connection between Israeli and Egyptian (army) commanders,” Dan Harel told reporters in a telephone briefing organized by The Israel Project. “The aggressiveness of the attack against the Egyptian policemen … emphasizes the need of the Egyptians to take control of what is going on in the Sinai.”