General tours Egypt border as high alert maintained

OC southern command reviews troops deployed on border, says military is trying to minimize impact of terror alert on lives of local residents.

By YAAKOV KATZ
tal russo IDF egypt border 311 (photo credit: IDF)
tal russo IDF egypt border 311
(photo credit: IDF)
The IDF maintained its high alert along Israel's border with Egypt on Wednesday amid fears that an Islamic Jihad terror cell will try to carry out an attack in the coming days.
On Wednesday OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen Tal Russo toured the border and met with troops that have been deployed there due to the terror alert, to ensure that they were prepared to thwart a potential terror attack from Sinai.
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Israel has been working closely with Egypt in an effort to prevent the attack, which officials said was slated to be carried out by a cell consisting of just over 10 terrorists.
During the tour of the border Russo spoke with soldiers and residents, and said he was looking into ways to minimize the impact that the current terror alert was having on the lives of Israelis who live in communities near the border.
Community leaders have complained about the IDF decision to keep roads 10 and 12 closed for almost two weeks since the previous attack along the border on August 18, during which eight Israelis were killed.
The decision to publicize the terror alert was made as part of an effort to dissuade the terrorists from continuing with their plans.
“Islamic Jihad is trying for a long time to perpetrate the attacks from the Sinai, and the holiday of Id al-Fitr is a good time for attacks,” Home Front Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said on Tuesday during a visit to an Elbit Systems factory in Sderot.
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