By Debbie Schlussel
Yesterday, I told you about the worries at the Israeli borders with Egypt and Gaza over what’s to come in terms of Egyptian aliens, both those fleeing the coming Islamic regime and those who are terrorists with evil plans for Israel. But there’s also the issue of Sharam El-Sheikh a/k/a Sharm A Sheikh and various other spellings (“Bay of the Sheikh”), which you’ve likely heard about in the wake of the Mubarak resignation, since that’s his new temporary residence. But let me tell you a little bit more about Sharam El-Sheikh, its significance and why it’s duly tragic that Mubarak not only resigned, but that his point of escape is this city that marked incredible Israeli and Jewish heroism.


Mubarak’s Last Stand at Sharam El-Sheikh, Egypt, Formerly Sharma Sheikh, Israel
One of the worst parts of the Sinai giveaway to Egypt, as part of the Camp David Peace Accord, was the relinquishment of Sharm El-Sheikh. It is ironic that, with Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, his family was apparently whisked away to Sharm El-Sheikh. The area was part of Israel from 1967 until 1982. Israeli soldiers, in one of the bloodiest battles of the Six-Day Way in 1967, were ambushed, mutilated, and otherwise barbarically savaged by Egyptian soldiers and other supporting Arab fighters. They held strong, and despite the murder of many of them, the Israeli soldiers showed incredible courage, and they were victorious. After they died in the name of protecting the area, then-General Yitzchak Rabin visited to plot the course of the rest of the war. (As you can see from the picture, below, it was desolate desert land on the ocean, but Israel built it into an international resort destination, before giving it to Egypt in ’82.)

Yitzchak Rabin at Sharm a Sheikh, 1967 – Six Day War
Sharm El-Sheikh and the Israeli soldiers who gave their lives there are the subject of a well-known Hebrew song by Amos Ettinger, which my late father occasionally sang to us as kids. I can hear my father singing it now to me from his grave, while he turns over in it. He was very sad on that day that Sharm El-Sheikh was turned over to Egypt, but he hoped it would result in lasting peace for Israel and the Jewish people. I’m glad he’s not here to see this.
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