First time suicide attack in Eilat

By Olivier Guitta

In fact until today Eilat has always been spared. Eilat is one of Israel's main tourist destinations and had almost played the safety card.
This is no more: this morning's suicide attack is a horrible wake up call that no place is terror-free in Israel. The implications of today's suicide attack are multiple: first the Israeli government will be under pressure to act because it cannot allow one of its largest revenue source to be tarnished, i.e. tourism, second it seems almost sure now that the bomber did not come from Jordan as initially reported but rather from Egypt. Indeed Jordanian and Egyptian sources have confirmed this. According to TV station Al Arabyia, Egyptian authorities have recently arrested two members of that three men commando which was to strike in Eilat.
Also Egyptian troops in the Sinai are in high alert for potential additional terror attacks.
After the bombings in Taba directed at Israeli tourists, Israel realized that desert beduins had become radicalized and could represent a potential threat to Israel.If the Sinai now becomes a hotbed for terrorism, Israel would have to count on Egypt for clamping down. But if Egypt is not successful or not willing to act, it's not far fetched to assume that Israel will one way or another take care of the problem. What it could mean for Israel is a potential other war front...

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