Umbhali: Adi Koplewitz
Amahora okulinda isikhathi eside ekuweleni kwe-Taba usuka e-Eilat uya eNhlonhlweni yaseSinayi sekuphenduke isiko lamaholide akwa-Israyeli eminyakeni yamuva nje. Kodwa kunento eyodwa ehlukile kulo nyaka: Ukuwela izwe akuseyona ukuphela kwendlela yokungena eSinayi, indawo yokuvakasha efiseleka kakhulu kwabaningi.
Ngamaholide ePhasika lalo nyaka, izivakashi ezingaba ngu-70,000 kulindeleke ukuthi ziwele esikhathini esingaphansi kwesonto, ngakho-ke akumangalisi ukuthi umugqa oya emngceleni uthatha ikhilomitha elilodwa. Ngokokuqala ngqa, kunezindiza eziqondile ezisuka e-Ben-Gurion Airport ukuya edolobheni lase-Egypt le-Sharm el-Sheikh eseNingizimu yeSinayi. Kuthatha imizuzu engu-50 kuphela, izindiza, ezisetshenziswa inkampani ephethwe yi-El Al i-Sun d'Or, zinikeza indlela eshesha kakhulu kubantu bakwa-Israel abafuna amahhotela ashibhile lapho bebuka uLwandle Olubomvu.
U-Omer Razon, owayesendizeni yokuqala ngeSonto, utshele abeMedia Line: “Indiza ibambezelekile, kodwa bekusafanele. Besingeke siye eSharm ngeTaba, kugcwele kakhulu. Silapha ngeholide elifushane; besingafuni ukuchitha isikhathi esiningi emgwaqeni.”
“Manje sinezinsuku ezimbalwa zokujabulela amahhotela asezingeni eliphezulu futhi sihambe siyovakasha ngentengo eshibhile.”
U-Shahar Gofer, isazi sase-Israel e-Egypt kanye nomqondisi wezivakashi, uthe: “Kungasishintsha ngempela isimo sezokuvakasha zakwa-Israel. eSinayi, futhi mhlawumbe naseGibhithe lilonke, ngezinga elithile. Izindiza eziya eSharm zizokwenza iSinayi ifinyeleleke kalula kuma-Israel.
“Sizobona abantu abaningi ngokwengeziwe beza ezindaweni zokungcebeleka emadolobheni asogwini njengeSharm neDahab, futhi mhlawumbe nezivakashi eziningi ezisezintabeni eziphakeme eduze kwaseSaint Catherine’s Monastery,” wengeza. “Ngiyethemba ukuthi ngeke kushintshe isimo esinokuthula saleyo ndawo. Ihluke kakhulu kulowo mqondo.”
Ngokuqondene ne-Egypt yonke, uGofer unokungabaza ukuthi izindiza eziya eSharm el-Sheikh zizoshintsha umdlalo.
“Izivakashi zakwa-Israel zisadinga i-visa ukuze zidlule eSharm. Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi bangaki abantu abazokwenza umzamo, kodwa ngiyethemba ukuthi abanye bazokwenza. I-Egypt inokuningi okunganikeza ama-Israyeli, kusukela emlandweni kanye nesayensi yemivubukulo, ngisho namagugu amaJuda, "kusho yena.
I-Flying Tel Aviv-Sharm el-Sheikh uhambo lokuya nokubuya lubiza phakathi kuka-$300 no-$500.
UGal Gershon, oyi-CEO ye-Sun d'Or, uthe izindiza zibhukwe ngokugcwele ngesikhathi IPhasika, futhi inkampani inethemba lokwandisa imvamisa yabo.
Ukungena eSinayi ngomoya esikhundleni sokuhamba emhlabathini kuvumela izivakashi ukuba zigweme ukulinda okukhathazayo eTaba.
“Sesihlale kulayini isikhathi esingaphezu kwamahora ayisithupha, kanti namanje asikakaqedi. Ngiyaqala ngqa ukuba seSinayi, futhi ukube ngangazi ukuthi kuzoba kanje, ngabe angifikanga,” kusho uTobi Siegel, umIsrayeli esendleleni eya kule nhlonhlo. “Bengicabanga ukuthi ukunqamula umhlaba kuzobiza kancane, kodwa angisenaso isiqiniseko. Ngemva kokubhekana nalokhu, ngiyazisola ngokungathathi indiza.”
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- It's my first time in Sinai, and had I known it'll be like this, I wouldn't have come,” said Tobi Siegel, an Israeli on his way to the peninsula.
- During this year's Passover holiday, some 70,000 tourists are expected to cross in less than a week, so it's no wonder the line to the border stretches over a mile.
- “It could definitely change the character of Israeli tourism in Sinai, and maybe even in Egypt as a whole, to a certain extent.
