the bimonthly and bilingual Sandpaper. Published in English and Spanish it is produced by the Press and Visits Office. Sporting events are held at both camps. Members are encouraged to take visits to Israel and Egypt, usually in organized trips. There are also trips to Mount Sinai, Luxor, Cairo, Jerusalem, and other sites within Egypt and Israel. A television and radio system also service North Camp and South Camp. There are venues for live shows at both camps and the U.S. organization Armed Forces Entertainment provides a variety of bands, dancers and other acts to keep the troops entertained. At remote observation sites, which might house only a dozen peacekeepers, the quality of life is harder to maintain. During tours at remote sites peacekeepers have limited access to the internet, are provided with workout equipment, and are permitted mascots. Pets are not allowed at the main camps, even though a veterinarian is available to maintain the health of the animals, which are almost always dogs. After the original inception of the MFO, routine travel to al-Arish, Sharm El Sheikh and a beach facility near the Gaza Strip were restful getaways but recent security concerns over possible Hamas activity has changed that. Similarly, a bicycle competition known as the Tour de Sinai which had begun in 1985 had gone by the wayside in recent years. See also United Nations Emergency Force – the United Nations peacekeeping operation stationed in the Sinai after the Suez Crisis of 1956 to maintain the truce between Egypt and Israel References External links Dutch MFO (Unofficial) Life in South Camp first rotation 1982 Arab–Israeli conflict Military history of Israel History of Egypt (1900–present) Middle East peace efforts Military operations other than war Multinational units and formations Military units and formations established in 1981 Egypt–Israel relations Sinai Peninsula