by yaakov katz
the jerusalem post
jerusalem | A suicide attack that killed three people in an Eilat bakery this week once again shows the threat that Israel faces from Palestinian terror organizations trying to enter Israel over the fenceless border with Egypt.
“The threat has not fully materialized itself yet, even with this suicide attack,” a high-ranking IDF officer from the Southern Command told reporters. “I am concerned that this is just the beginning and the attacks will continue to happen.”
According to the officer, the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) caught more than 100 Palestinian terrorists in 2006 who originated in the Gaza Strip and tried crossing into Israel from the Sinai Desert in Egypt. Among the terrorists were suicide bombers, weapons experts on their way to establish terror infrastructure in the West Bank and masterminds of soldier-kidnapping plots.
In addition to the terrorists, security forces also succeeded in dismantling 11 terror rings that had established infrastructure, which was used for infiltrations along the border.
Israeli troops patrol the border, which has no barrier or fence. Additional undercover units also are used for ambushes and patrols in the vicinity.
According to the officer, the Egyptians could help prevent the terror infiltrations from Gaza, through the Sinai and into Israel. “Egyptians can also do more just like we can,” he said. “But before we look at what they can do, we need to look at what we can do.”
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California