One could dismiss Wednesday's incident on the Israel-Egypt border as a drug deal gone wrong. But, in fact, it must be viewed differently -- it was a reminder of the tight link between crime and the dangerous terrorist infrastructure that is blossoming in the Sinai Peninsula, much to Israel's chagrin. Evidence of this link could be seen in the complexity of Wednesday's incident. For years now, drug dealers on the Israel-Egypt border have come to every smuggling attempt equipped with advanced all-terrain vehicles and weaponry. Still, it is hard to remember an incident as violent and organized as Wednesday's was. IDF troops from the Caracal Battalion came under coordinated fire from three directions. Different types of weapons were used, including an anti-tank missile. It is no wonder, therefore, that the IDF was convinced for several hours after the incident that it had been a terrorist attack. It was only after Egyptian forces found drugs on their side of the border that it became clear it had been a failed drug smuggling attempt. The claim of responsibility by the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis terrorist group also muddied the waters a bit. But, ultimately, it does not matter. When an armed fighting force opens fire on you in an attempt to kill you, it is an enemy, in all senses of the word, and you must eliminate it. In any case, the differences between drug dealers, weapons smugglers and terrorists in Sinai are minimal, if they exist at all. Many times, they come from the same Bedouin tribes, which, using brute force and money, maintain control over large swaths of Sinai. This is primarily a headache for Egypt, which, over the past year, has conducted a major military effort (intelligence and operational) to eradicate terrorism in Sinai. But Egypt is still far from victory in this fight. Some of Egypt's moves in Sinai are carried out in cooperation with Israel, stemming from shared interests and a common view of reality -- particularly in regard to the Hamas regime in Gaza and the threat post by extremist terrorist cells in Sinai. But those who think this is only a problem for Egypt are wrong. Every drug delivery has a destination on the Israeli side of the border, which often has the same address as those responsible for the stealing of metal from the Tze'elim military base, the theft of cars in Beersheba and the perpetration of robberies along roads throughout the south. Authorities know the identities of most of those involved, yet find it difficult to move against them. They will only spring into action when there is an attack on the Israeli side of the border fence. As was seen on Wednesday, there is a tight link between crime and terrorism, and this link has lethal potential.
