Already embroiled in a fierce diplomatic row with former friend and ally Turkey, Israel found itself in fresh crisis on Saturday with Egypt after crowds trashed its Cairo embassy.
Israel has few friends in the Muslim world, and the chill on two fronts further deepens its isolation ahead of Palestinian plans to seek full membership in the United Nations.
The overnight attack on the mission was the worst since Israel set up its mission in Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with the Jewish state, in 1979.
Since Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February after a revolt, activists have called for a revision of the peace treaty with Israel.
“The mob attack on the Israeli embassy is a serious incident,” Israeli news website Ynet on Saturday quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying. But hours later, he reiterated Israel’s commitment to peace with Egypt. “We are committed to preserving peace with Egypt,” Netanyahu said in a radio address.
“It was a painful blow to the peace between us and a grave violation of diplomatic norms,” an Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity, but added that a senior diplomat stayed behind after the ambassador Yitzhak Levanon and his staff were evacuated, to maintain delicate ties with Egypt.
Cairo declared a state of alert and warned of harsh measures to quell civil unrest. After a meeting with the ruling military council, Information Minister Osama Heikal had harsh words for the violence and said authorities will take all necessary steps to preserve order, including the protection of embassies. Calling the unrest an “attack on Egypt’s image,” he said “it is clear that the behaviour of certain people menaces the Egyptian state in its entirety”. Consequently, the “security forces will have recourse to all necessary measures, including the right to legitimate self defence, to preserve the security of the homeland.” He also said Cairo would apply “all articles” of an emergency law in force for 30 years that provides greater powers to the judiciary and police. And he affirmed Egypt’s “total commitment to respecting international conventions.”
Israel’s Egyptian woes came hard on the heels of the worst exchange yet with Turkey, after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday threatened to send warships to escort any Turkish vessels trying to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Netanyahu’s office said that the cabinet had considered various responses to a further worsening of already stormy relations with Turkey, but had not taken action.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2011.
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@Aftab Kenneth Wilson: No, the bottome line is not hate for non-Muslims, it is the non-Muslims century old disregard and hate for the rights of the Muslims in the Middle East. Israel was created for refugees from Europe after Germany nearly annihilated the Jews. What was that??? European love of the Jews???? But who ended up paying for it??? The Palestinians. Remember, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You cannot continue to pour napalms on unarmed civilians including women and kids. After having backed the solid dictators like Mubarak and his ilk all over the mideast and slushing down the throats of the Egyptians pro-Israeli policies the Americans and Israelis are now beginning to feel the pinch of the popular Arab sentiment on the streets. Please, your Muslim bashing without any solid evidence is groundless. I wonder how many times you spoke up when Arab Bedouin villagers were being evicted from their ancestoral lands and Gaza childrens were subjected to bombardment. Ask your conscience before you attempt a feeble reply.
Geo Pakistan! I fully support Pakistan in its war against Israel. As a Hanood I have no doubt that the true and PURE believers of the one true god Allah - AKA Pakistanis will prevail over the Yahoods just like the Muslims prevailed over Hind for 1000 years and are, in fact, continuing to do so even today especially cricket and hockey (but not so in Kabaddi)
@N:
"The Persians, Arabs and Turks are aligned – the pincer like squeeze on Israel is on. War? "
Hasn't Pakistan been wanting to battle Israel for long ? Perhaps Pakistan can join these good folks and show Israel ?
They may not have a pincer-like squeeze on israel, but israel's backbone, the US, is heavily damaged and they will never return to their formal glory. Without the US backing, Israel won't survive 2 weeks in the middle-east. You can't just forcefully steal land, kick the people out, establish a racist, cruel and intolerant state, and expect no consequences.
If jews want a jewish state, make one in the middle of new york city or chicago and see how the americans feel. Damn hypocrites.
A country is only as strong as its people, and once the muslim world pull their act together, things will be very different. You can't just wait for someone else to fix things- its everyone's own responsibility, from the student who refrains from cheating to the shopkeeper who is honest about his products. Its not just the muslim politicians who are corrupt, the people are not much better either. If you want change, if you want victory, you bring change in your heart and in your actions.
@N: *"the pincer like squeeze on Israel is on...." *
Back in the fifties, three Arab countries, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, with the financial backing of Saudis united into one country, United Arab Republic. Their armies were put under one command with the express aim of "throwing the infant state of Israel into Mediterranean." We all know what came of that "pincer squeeze". Each one of them left a piece of itself in the mouth of the little Israeli scorpion, which still remains there sixty years later. "War?" The entire Egyptian Air Force was destroyed where it was parked on the tarmac. Not one of the fighters/bombers had time to take off. Life magazine published photographs of boots left by Egyptian soldiers fleeing for their lives, all pointing towards Egypt. Israel was not a nuclear power then, Arab Spring had not yet arrived in Egypt and Syria. Turkey fully deserves the name! Muslims know only empty bravado and braggadocio. Name one war they won anywhere in the world in the past millennium. Some pincer squeeze, eh!
Down with Israel!
This reflects the views of the entire Muslim World against the brutality of Israel! The leftists and liberals should keep humanity at a greater priority than boot polishing the west!
Bottom Line: Religious dimension and hate for non-Muslims. Rightists must be behind this attack on the embassy.
The geyser of hatred swelling under a 32 year old 'peace' treaty just shot up. There is more to come. It is going to get very interesting for peace and Israel. Democratic elections - if ever, will bring a Turkey like government in power. Hardliners will ensure that Israel - and peace with it - permanently remains on the boil. The Persians, Arabs and Turks are aligned - the pincer like squeeze on Israel is on. War?
This is basically the gist of Arab spring; more anti-Israel, anti-US sentiments and more pro-beards, pro-veils slogans !
Iran 2