It was at the end of the week-long Jewish holiday of Sukkot, on October 7, 2004, when a bomb ripped through the Taba Hilton and two other Sinai Peninsula sites, killing 35 Israelis and wounding 122 . Others were also killed, including Egyptians and Europeans. But, it was the Israelis who had been the real target, with terrorists taking advantage of the fall holiday to guarantee themselves the presence of crowds of Jewish tourists.

Although there is symbolic significance for attacking during holidays, the attacks that occurred at the tail end of the Sukkot week were likely planned for their operational significance: the large number of Jewish tourists that would be spending the vacation in Egypt . This year, Sukkot falls between October 18 and October 24. Israelis will likely avoid Arab destinations, but they should also avoid any location where significant numbers of Israelis are known to stay or vacation.