Many Israelis like myself have fond memories of that desert peninsula. Those were simpler times, and the wide sandy beaches, the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea and the stunning desert landscape provided the perfect backdrop to our naive recreation.
Over 40 years ago, I remember going on a family vacation to Sharm el-Sheikh. We didn’t stay in a hotel, but rather in caravans with poor air conditioning. But we were right on the beach. We ate breakfast on the sand and spent the whole day snorkeling. Just meters from where we were sleeping, you could stick your face in the water and see a wonderland of coral reefs and colorful fish. I was very young, and this felt like the ultimate freedom. But, it was a fairytale, a dream. At the time, Sharm el-Sheikh was a small Bedouin fishing village situated adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Ofira. The Bedouins all spoke Hebrew, and you could often see Israeli soldiers on patrol.
One day, my father borrowed a jeep and we explored the whole of Sinai. El-Arish, Nuweiba,...
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