Israel’s border crossing to the Sinai Peninsula was reopened on Friday after a one-and-a-half-week closure, but Israel warned its citizens to be cautious about crossing over amid continuing unrest in the Egyptian region.
A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, noting that travel warnings remain in force in spite of the reopening
“The risk to Israelis in the Sinai is still very serious, concrete and immediate,’’ it said.
It noted that the closure was prompted by worries about a possible terrorist attack targeting Israelis.
Report says during the closure, it was still possible for Israelis to return home from Egypt, but not for anyone to travel into Sinai.
The Sinai Peninsula has been especially restive in recent years due to a local group of militants loyal to the Islamic State extremist militia and active in the northern part of Sinai.
A recent series of attacks, focused on security forces and Coptic Christians, prompted Egyptian authorities this week to impose a night-time curfew in some parts of the largely desert area. (dpa/NAN)
