MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said Wednesday the authorities should shut down the Taba border crossing instead of issuing travel warnings to Israelis. "The entry of civilians into Sinai under a serious travel warning is an act of irresponsibility by the state," he said.

"Just as we prevent entry of civilians and tourists into entire areas in the Negev because of a concrete alert regarding abduction attacks, it is proper and right to prevent the entry of our citizens into Sinai until the danger is over," Steinitz explained.

The security establishment has "relatively specific" warnings of activity by terror units in the Sinai, and has published travel warnings for Israelis going to the Sinai desert for Pesach.