that Norway condemns all use of terror – Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said that "I condemn these appalling and senseless acts of violence. As efforts for peace in the region continue, this brutality has no place, nor its perpetrators any excuse. My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured and I offer sincere condolences to their families and friends." – The State Department condemned the attacks "in the strongest terms," calling the attack "brutal and cowardly." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "We hope that those involved in the planning of these gruesome attacks will be brought to swift justice. We stand by Israel as our friend, partner, and ally – now and always." She also added that "This violence only underscores our strong concerns about the security situation in the Sinai Peninsula. Recent commitments by the Egyptian government to address the security situation in the Sinai are important and we urge the Egyptian government to find a lasting resolution." – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman by telephone. Lavrov expressed his condolences over the terrorist attacks in southern Israel. He condemned this extremist act, and "reaffirmed the immutable position of Russia that there can be no justification for terror or for those who use it as means to achieve their ends". He also said that "despite the gravity of the crime, it is necessary to exercise restraint and to avoid retaliatory steps from which innocent people may suffer". Impact Following the attacks on Highway 12, Israel is reportedly to soon allow Egypt to deploy thousands of troops in the Sinai Peninsula in violation of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty, in which both countries agreed that the Sinai Peninsula will be a military-free zone. Investigation According to Haaretz, the IDF General Staff's investigation into the attack “was a source of great frustration”. An intelligence alert from the Shin Bet had led to a massive deployment of IDF troops in the area, but the forces' alertness had eroded, allowing the militants to track the IDF and choose their infiltration route. The decision not to close the road on the morning of the attack in spite of warnings from the Shin Beth is characterised as “understandable error of judgment, and definitely not a manifestation of carelessness”, whereas the appearance of the defense minister and the chief of staff at the scene of