SHEIKH ZUWEID, Egypt — Four years have passed since the Sinai Peninsula had participated in the Egyptian revolution in such a retaliatory and armed manner, contradicting all the peaceful slogans of Cairo, as it was hoping to be liberated from the state suppression and marginalization that had been going on for more than 30 years. However, the people’s hope of change soon turned into tragedy in an area that had always remained calm; only to become a hotbed for violence and continuous conflict, further isolating Sinai from the rest of the country.
On Jan. 27, 2011, the angry and indignant people of Sinai, especially those from the cities of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, attacked the security institutions, causing great damage. They used all kinds of weapons, even missiles, in retaliation for what they considered years of oppression by the state. As a result, the police have lost ground in Sinai. This is not to mention the absence of the army as per the Camp David Accords with Israel, paving the way for chaos and violence in the peninsula.
