Posted on 04/06/2012 7:31:57 AM PDT by Eleutheria5
Egyptian officials on Thursday denied that three Grad rockets which struck the city of Eilat in the pre-dawn hours were fired from the Sinai desert.
Mahamoud El-Hefnawy, Cairo's director of security for the Sinai sector, told Egyptian media that the rockets fired at Eilat did not emanate from Sinai.
Hefnawy said that "the situation in the southern sector is excellent. There are regular patrols and stakeouts across all roads. If anyone seems suspect they are stopped for inspections meant to stop any terrorist elements from entering the area."
He claimed that Egyptian border patrols are constantly present across the sector and that the Egyptian-Israeli border was "intensively secured."
No one had detected a flash of light or sound overnight on Wednesday, he said.
Observers note Egypt has a vested interest in claiming the rockets did not originate in Sinai due to the more aggressive deterrent posture announced by IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz following the attack.
Officials in Israel say the Sinai has become a base for Islamist terror groups since former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's downfall last year.
"For a long while now we have been seeing that the Sinai peninsula is turning into a launching pad against the citizens of Israel, for terror," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the attack.
IDF intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi echoed Netanyahus assessment on Thursday, saying the rocket fire underscored that "Israel must prepare to face threats and instability that could last for years" due to political upheaval in the region.
"The rocket fire on Eilat originated in Sinai and represents a fundamental change in the region," Kochavi said. "The Middle East has the highest pace of armament in the world, which is changing its ultimate character beyond recognition."
.....
(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
muslims deny
Is that what Baghdad Bob is calling himself now?
I guess Denial IS a river in Egypt.
Thanks Eleutheria5.
The proper course of action is to give a face to face diplomatic warning to what passes for the Egyptian gov’t that the next attack from Egyptian or Gazan territory will result in the leveling of Cairo.
Until then, I fully expect terrorism to increase along the Egyptian border.
Mahamoud El-Hefnawy
I had him pegged as the manager of the Cairo
playboy club.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.