RELATED:Egyptian youth group: Halt gas shipments to IsraelHamas leader in Gaza calls on Egypt to open blockadeIsrael is concerned about reports that Egyptian police have abandoned Sinai in the face of growing Beduin violence and fear the territory will turn into a global jihad breeding ground. Egyptian police left dozens of stations throughout the peninsula after they were attacked by Beduin armed with missiles and assault rifles. “It will take the Egyptians a long time to restore order in Sinai,” a senior Israeli security official said.Under the 1979 peace treaty, Israel gave back the captured Sinai to Egypt.In return, Egypt agreed to leave the area, which borders southern Israel, demilitarized. The arid peninsula lies between Egypt’s mainland and Israel, and Israel was worried about an Egyptian invasion then.According to defense officials, Israel decided to allow the Egyptians to deploy more troops in Sinai in small numbers to secure the gas pipeline and prevent the smuggling of weaponry from the peninsula into the Gaza Strip. Earlier this month, terrorists bombed a gas station in Sinai, leading to a suspension of gas supplies from Egypt to Israel.
Israel agrees to more troops in demilitarized Sinai
Second deployment of Egyptian military forces will crack down on Bedouin violence and protect natural gas pipeline to Israel.
RELATED:Egyptian youth group: Halt gas shipments to IsraelHamas leader in Gaza calls on Egypt to open blockadeIsrael is concerned about reports that Egyptian police have abandoned Sinai in the face of growing Beduin violence and fear the territory will turn into a global jihad breeding ground. Egyptian police left dozens of stations throughout the peninsula after they were attacked by Beduin armed with missiles and assault rifles. “It will take the Egyptians a long time to restore order in Sinai,” a senior Israeli security official said.Under the 1979 peace treaty, Israel gave back the captured Sinai to Egypt.In return, Egypt agreed to leave the area, which borders southern Israel, demilitarized. The arid peninsula lies between Egypt’s mainland and Israel, and Israel was worried about an Egyptian invasion then.According to defense officials, Israel decided to allow the Egyptians to deploy more troops in Sinai in small numbers to secure the gas pipeline and prevent the smuggling of weaponry from the peninsula into the Gaza Strip. Earlier this month, terrorists bombed a gas station in Sinai, leading to a suspension of gas supplies from Egypt to Israel.