Hundreds injured as Egyptian protesters attack Israeli embassy

[News_Editor]

Hundreds injured as Egyptian protesters attack Israeli embassy

2011-09-10 11:29:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO (BNO NEWS) -- More than 2,000 Egyptian protesters gathered in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo on Friday to dismantle a concrete wall which was set up by security forces around the premises, the Al-Ahram state-owned newspaper reported.

Protesters were using everything from hammers to crow bars to their bare hands to bring down the wall, while others celebrated. As whole sections of the barrier wall came crashing down, military police and state security forces attempted to protect the wall.

The local authority set up the wall last week in an attempt to secure the Israeli embassy after a series of protests were held in front of the building. Hundreds of Egyptians called on their government to expel Israel's ambassador and condemned a border incident, while one young man climbed 13 floors to bring down the Israeli flag in protest.

The border incident occurred on August 19 following a series of attacks that began when gunmen opened fire against a bus near the southern Israeli city of Eliat, which is located at the northern tip of the Red Sea and borders Egypt. Five Egyptian security personnel were killed when Israeli soldiers were pursuing Gaza militants after the attack.

After the wall came crashing down on Friday, hundreds of Egyptians stormed the building and threw embassy documents from its windows as Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon, his family and staff fled the country. Security forces clashed with protesters, leaving more than 400 people injured.

U.S. President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the situation at the Israeli embassy in Cairo and expressed his great concern. "He reviewed the steps that the U.S. is taking at all levels to help resolve the situation without further violence, and to call on the Government of Egypt to honor its international obligations to safeguard the security of the Israeli Embassy," the White House said in a statement. "The President and the Prime Minister agreed to stay in close touch until the situation is resolved."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-09-10

[Steely Dan]

I love Paris Cairo in the springtime.

http://www.debka.com/article/21288/

The Egyptian government declared a state of emergency early Saturday, Sept. 10 as thousands of demonstrators using sledgehammers smashed through the wall outside the Israeli embassy, broke into the building and dumped the flag and hundreds of documents through the windows. debkafile: Egyptian security forces using tear gas and shooting the in air failed to contain the howling mob led by Muslim Brotherhood adherents.

How much egg on face can a U.S president wear? If Obama has half any sense he will quietly make it known to the Egyptian army they can appoint another strongman and shoot as many as it takes to cancel 'spring'.

[chuckd]

I love Paris Cairo in the springtime.

http://www.debka.com/article/21288/

The Egyptian government declared a state of emergency early Saturday, Sept. 10 as thousands of demonstrators using sledgehammers smashed through the wall outside the Israeli embassy, broke into the building and dumped the flag and hundreds of documents through the windows. debkafile: Egyptian security forces using tear gas and shooting the in air failed to contain the howling mob led by Muslim Brotherhood adherents.

How much egg on face can a U.S president wear? If Obama has half any sense he will quietly make it known to the Egyptian army they can appoint another strongman and shoot as many as it takes to cancel 'spring'.

This may be the first shots of the next war in the Middle East.

Carter lost Iran and now Obama loses Egypt.

[geriatrickid]

I love Paris Cairo in the springtime.

http://www.debka.com/article/21288/

The Egyptian government declared a state of emergency early Saturday, Sept. 10 as thousands of demonstrators using sledgehammers smashed through the wall outside the Israeli embassy, broke into the building and dumped the flag and hundreds of documents through the windows. debkafile: Egyptian security forces using tear gas and shooting the in air failed to contain the howling mob led by Muslim Brotherhood adherents.

How much egg on face can a U.S president wear? If Obama has half any sense he will quietly make it known to the Egyptian army they can appoint another strongman and shoot as many as it takes to cancel 'spring'.

This may be the first shots of the next war in the Middle East.

Carter lost Iran and now Obama loses Egypt.

It was never Obama's to lose in the first place. The seeds of this mess started with the billions sent to Egypt to support a corrupt oligarchy and military on the assumption that Egypt would become a reliable friend in the region. Look back to the Regan, Bush, Clinton administrations. Everyone assumed Egypt would join the developed world and move forward. Even Star Alliance allowed Egyptair to join. Nothing sums up the false hopes better than the admittance of Egyptair into the Star Alliance, Egyptair is a pathetic air carrier. No, no the argument went, give them a chance, they will step up to the challenge. Instead what one has are tired aircraft, crap service and an unreliable horrible product. That sums up the western miscalculation of Egypt in all areas. One cannot have a decent airline if the country is falling apart and where the social structure is characterized by backwardness, corruption and and aggressive arrogance. The same mistakes were made with Egypt that were made with Pakistan. It's time to cut the losses and to step back.

This situation is akin to the farang in Thailand that gets mixed up with a bargirl and keeps throwing money her way despite all the signs that she's got some action going on the side and has no interest in the farang save for his money. The west needs to understand that one cannot deal with these countries and cultures as if they were western. Treat them as they are. It doesn't mean that one has to be disrespectful or patronizing. However, the old concept of quid pro quo holds. Tough love.

[Steely Dan]

It was never Obama's to lose in the first place. The seeds of this mess started with the billions sent to Egypt to support a corrupt oligarchy and military on the assumption that Egypt would become a reliable friend in the region. Look back to the Regan, Bush, Clinton administrations. Everyone assumed Egypt would join the developed world and move forward. Even Star Alliance allowed Egyptair to join.

I wonder how many U.S administrations actually believed this narrative as oppose to making the calculation that a military oligarchy provided more stability than the alternative Muslim brotherhood scenario. Even Nasser crushed the Muslim brotherhood after he ousted King Faroukh so the situation on the ground in Egypt has always been a two horse race between tyrant and theocracy. In the rush to consign Mubarak to the trashcan one of Obama's top advisers referred to the Muslim brotherhood as 'mostly secular' Well to me this transcends mere incompetence and must have a malignant agenda behind it, sorry if this sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the facts fit.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/09/obamas-legacy.html

This is the legacy of Obama's foreign policy and his tacit support of the Muslim Brotherhood since he first took office. We can little imagine the catastrophic consequences of the stooge in the White House.

The Muslims beat up the Jewish employee in residence, but not to worry, the NY Times says "briefly beat," so I guess that's OK. I wonder if a Times reporter were beaten by these marauding savages if it would be described the same way as when a Jew is beaten. Is "briefly beaten" anything like "briefly killed"?

Edited September 11, 2011 by Steely Dan

[Credo]

At the end of the day, the US government has little choice but to talk to the existing government. When it was Mubarak, that is with whom we negotiated. The US has little option but to support, if you can use the word support, the overthrow of Mubarak.

[up-country_sinclair]

Due to its policies, Israel is likely the most reviled nation on the planet. Quite frankly, it's a wonder this sort of thing hasn't happened more often.

Edited September 11, 2011 by up-country_sinclair

[Ulysses G.]

Syria and Iran are the most "reviled" nations on Earth and North Korea is right with them.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[zydeco]

So, the Arab spring has sprung. What now, smart guy Neocons?

[Steely Dan]

Due to its policies, Israel is likely the most reviled nation on the planet. Quite frankly, it's a wonder this sort of thing hasn't happened more often.

Due to its policies continued existence, Israel is likely the most reviled nation on the planet in the Islamic world. Quite frankly, it's a wonder this sort of thing hasn't happened more often.

[Credo]

I am not particularly pro-Israel, but they do exist and they exist because of a UN mandate. They have done a reasonably good job of building a country and running it. Some of their policies and antics aren't nice, but they aren't in a part of the world that is very warm or friendly to them.

My question to those who are anti-Israel is just where will these people go? In whose interest would it be to have an extremely huge migration of people?

Listening to the news on the radio while driving, it seems the Muslim brotherhood has expressed regret about the embassy situation and Netanyahu said he is committed to the peace treaty with Egypt.

I hope this is just a bump in the road.

[flying]

but they do exist and they exist because of a UN mandate.

My question to those who are anti-Israel is just where will these people go?

I think this is a main part of the problem.

If UN mandates were honored there would be no or at least less of a problem.

I do not know of folks that are anti-Israel to the point of expecting them to migrate elsewhere.

But as this article points out....

The General Assembly resolution will set as the borders of Palestine those that existed between 1948 and 1967. But, today, beyond those borders live no fewer than 500,000 Israeli Jews.

While the United States vetoed a recent Security Council resolution condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued expansion of settlements, we have no veto in the General Assembly. If Obama opposes the U.N. resolution, we and Israel will stand virtually alone.

Israel in a Post-American Era by Patrick J. Buchanan, May 20, 2011

[chuckd]

I love Paris Cairo in the springtime.

http://www.debka.com/article/21288/

The Egyptian government declared a state of emergency early Saturday, Sept. 10 as thousands of demonstrators using sledgehammers smashed through the wall outside the Israeli embassy, broke into the building and dumped the flag and hundreds of documents through the windows. debkafile: Egyptian security forces using tear gas and shooting the in air failed to contain the howling mob led by Muslim Brotherhood adherents.

How much egg on face can a U.S president wear? If Obama has half any sense he will quietly make it known to the Egyptian army they can appoint another strongman and shoot as many as it takes to cancel 'spring'.

This may be the first shots of the next war in the Middle East.

Carter lost Iran and now Obama loses Egypt.

It was never Obama's to lose in the first place. The seeds of this mess started with the billions sent to Egypt to support a corrupt oligarchy and military on the assumption that Egypt would become a reliable friend in the region. Look back to the Regan, Bush, Clinton administrations. Everyone assumed Egypt would join the developed world and move forward. Even Star Alliance allowed Egyptair to join. Nothing sums up the false hopes better than the admittance of Egyptair into the Star Alliance, Egyptair is a pathetic air carrier. No, no the argument went, give them a chance, they will step up to the challenge. Instead what one has are tired aircraft, crap service and an unreliable horrible product. That sums up the western miscalculation of Egypt in all areas. One cannot have a decent airline if the country is falling apart and where the social structure is characterized by backwardness, corruption and and aggressive arrogance. The same mistakes were made with Egypt that were made with Pakistan. It's time to cut the losses and to step back.

This situation is akin to the farang in Thailand that gets mixed up with a bargirl and keeps throwing money her way despite all the signs that she's got some action going on the side and has no interest in the farang save for his money. The west needs to understand that one cannot deal with these countries and cultures as if they were western. Treat them as they are. It doesn't mean that one has to be disrespectful or patronizing. However, the old concept of quid pro quo holds. Tough love.

Certainly it was Obama's to lose.

The quid pro quo had been that Egypt would honor the peace with Israel in exchange for the massive sums of US aid being sent to Egypt.

Mubarak had done that and would have continued doing that but Obama publicly condemned him and he had no choice but to step aside. Exactly as Carter did in 1978 to the Shah of Iran.

Had Obama supported Mubarak he would still be in power and the Gaza strip would still be somewhat closed, unlike the free fire zone it has become.

[Credo]

I have disagree with you. Obama had little influence over the events in Egypt. Had he supported Mubarak, would he still be in power? Would the 'Arab Spring' not have occurred? Or would we be in a messy internal conflict that Mubarak would eventually lose anyway?

The writing was on the wall. Mubarak was done. As the saying goes, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[up-country_sinclair]

Credo,

Of course you're right, President Obama is not the reason Mubarak was deposed. The people of Egypt had enough and rose up against someone they felt was a tyrant. But these facts have little meaning to those who have a passionate hatred for President Obama so they invent ways to blame him for anything and everything. Just take a look at the signatures of certain posters.

Edited September 11, 2011 by up-country_sinclair

[Steely Dan]

My question to those who are anti-Israel is just where will these people go? In whose interest would it be to have an extremely huge migration of people?

It wouldn't be a migration it would be an extermination if Israel lost, be in no doubt whatsoever about that.

Listening to the news on the radio while driving, it seems the Muslim brotherhood has expressed regret about the embassy situation and Netanyahu said he is committed to the peace treaty with Egypt.

I hope this is just a bump in the road.

Well they would both say that wouldn't they? Netanyahu can't gain anything by stating otherwise and the Egyptians are going to want to keep the U.S aid cheques rolling for as long as possible. I believe Erdogan is due in Cairo next week to spread his message of peace and love and on Thursday he instructed his navy to escort any 'freedom ships' sailing to Gaza. War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

[zydeco]

My question to those who are anti-Israel is just where will these people go? In whose interest would it be to have an extremely huge migration of people?

It wouldn't be a migration it would be an extermination if Israel lost, be in no doubt whatsoever about that.

Listening to the news on the radio while driving, it seems the Muslim brotherhood has expressed regret about the embassy situation and Netanyahu said he is committed to the peace treaty with Egypt.

I hope this is just a bump in the road.

Well they would both say that wouldn't they? Netanyahu can't gain anything by stating otherwise and the Egyptians are going to want to keep the U.S aid cheques rolling for as long as possible. I believe Erdogan is due in Cairo next week to spread his message of peace and love and on Thursday he instructed his navy to escort any 'freedom ships' sailing to Gaza. War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

Could get interesting if the Turks call on their NATO allies to come to their aid, if Isreal (technically) attacks them. My guess is the French and British would want to whack the Jews if they could, but that the US will stay put. And if the French and British do aid the Turks, it might be meaningless since they used up all their ammo on Libya. Somehow the Germans and the Chinese will make a profit off the entire situation.

[flying]

War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

Could be but the reason may or may not be due to the UN voting Pro Palestine.

But the rejection of its validity by the US & Israel.

As an American citizen I think the representatives of the US is overstepping its boundaries & should ask the American people to vote

on what *our* stance in this matter is. Instead of committing us to yet another *possible* as you say war.

This is not a war that should be bought in the name of Americans by Israeli/Jewish lobbyist in Washington.

The American government needs to remember who they ultimately work for & supposedly protect.

[Ulysses G.]

War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

Could be but the reason may or may not be due to the UN voting Pro Palestine.

But the rejection of its validity by the US & Israel.

If there is a war, it will because the Arab countries want to try their hand at destroying the only non-Islamic country in the region yet again. The "Palestinians" are just an excuse.

[zydeco]

War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

As an American citizen I think the representatives of the US is overstepping its boundaries & should ask the American people to vote

on what *our* stance in this matter is. Instead of committing us to yet another *possible* as you say war.

Don't know about you, but I've got an entire list of druthers. If asked, I'd have preferred to back Argentina over the UK, Los Zetas over the Mexican govt., Gaddafhi over "the rebels", Serbia over Kosovo, and Tibet over China.

[chuckd]

Credo,

Of course you're right, President Obama is not the reason Mubarak was deposed. The people of Egypt had enough and rose up against someone they felt was a tyrant. But these facts have little meaning to those who have a passionate hatred for President Obama so they invent ways to blame him for anything and everything. Just take a look at the signatures of certain posters.

Credo:

That would be me the mysterious Mr. Sinclair is referring to. Following is my signature:

"People that voted for Obama in 2008 to prove they are not racists will now have to vote against him in 2012 to prove they are not idiots."

Truer words were never spoken.

By the way, the people of Egypt were successful in their uprising because the Egyptian Army would have felt stranded when Mubarak was weakened by Obama, exactly as SAVAK and the Iranian Military was weakened by Carter not supporting the Shah in 1978.

Egypt might have been as bad as Syria in putting down the uprising but Mubarak would have endured.

I am wondering where Obama is in the Syrian debacle.

[Steely Dan]

War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

Could be but the reason may or may not be due to the UN voting Pro Palestine.

But the rejection of its validity by the US & Israel.

As an American citizen I think the representatives of the US is overstepping its boundaries & should ask the American people to vote

on what *our* stance in this matter is. Instead of committing us to yet another *possible* as you say war.

This is not a war that should be bought in the name of Americans by Israeli/Jewish lobbyist in Washington.

The American government needs to remember who they ultimately work for & supposedly protect.

The vote is and always was just a pretext. Anyway returning to topic the BBC reported that the Egyptian government was losing all credibility in allowing the Vienna convention surrounding Embassies to be broken. I think it won't be long before the U.S can save it's $2 billion annual aid budget to Egypt, which I'm sure you would welcome.

They also stated that the attack on the embassy came after Friday prayers - It is amazing how many violent acts seem to occur after Friday prayers with the religion of peace.

[chuckd]

This article from today's news:

______________________________________________________

Beyond Cairo, Israel Sensing a Wider Siege

By ETHAN BRONNER

Published: September 10, 2011

JERUSALEM — With its Cairo embassy ransacked, its ambassador to Turkey expelled and the Palestinians seeking statehood recognition at the United Nations, Israel found itself on Saturday increasingly isolated and grappling with a radically transformed Middle East where it believes its options are limited and poor.

Related

The diplomatic crisis, in which winds unleashed by the Arab Spring are now casting a chill over the region, was crystallized by the scene of Israeli military jets sweeping into Cairo at dawn on Saturday to evacuate diplomats after the Israeli Embassy had been besieged by thousands of protesters.

It was an image that reminded some Israelis of Iran in 1979, when Israel evacuated its embassy in Tehran after the revolution there replaced an ally with an implacable foe.

“Seven months after the downfall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, Egyptian protesters tore to shreds the Israeli flag, a symbol of peace between Egypt and its eastern neighbor, after 31 years,” Aluf Benn, the editor in chief of the left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz, wrote Saturday. “It seems that the flag will not will not return to the flagstaff anytime soon.”

Entire article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/world/middleeast/11israel.html?_r=1&hp

[flying]

I think it won't be long before the U.S can save it's $2 billion annual aid budget to Egypt, which I'm sure you would welcome.

They also stated that the attack on the embassy came after Friday prayers - It is amazing how many violent acts seem to occur after Friday prayers with the religion of peace.

Yes I would welcome it as a start

But then again through a link chuckd just pointed out to me in another thread....2 billion would be a drop in the ocean of debt we now swim

link

As for religions & violent acts. It should come as no surprise. Look at many religions bloody past. Crusaders probably worst than all combined.

Do Jews in the Israeli military pray before battles? If they did would their violent actions be the religions fault?

Edited September 11, 2011 by flying

[geriatrickid]

War is coming and I suspect the U.N vote on the Palestinian state is the starting pistol.

Could be but the reason may or may not be due to the UN voting Pro Palestine.

But the rejection of its validity by the US & Israel.

As an American citizen I think the representatives of the US is overstepping its boundaries & should ask the American people to vote

on what *our* stance in this matter is. Instead of committing us to yet another *possible* as you say war.

This is not a war that should be bought in the name of Americans by Israeli/Jewish lobbyist in Washington.

The American government needs to remember who they ultimately work for & supposedly protect.

You do realize that the money is controlled by Congress right? The House of Representatives has the mandate for the financial matters. That's why the President submits his budget to the house for approval. It is the House that decides on the financial allocations and it is the Senate that makes the decisions on treaties. The US public already has a say because it elected the people voting.

The "jewish lobby" has nothing to gain from war. Nor does Israel. The middle east is on edge and the last thing world financial markets need is an oil crisis.

[flying]

You do realize that the money is controlled by Congress right?

Yes I do & I also realize who controls the members....hint ...It is not We The People

One-third of ALL US AID goes to Israel and Egypt.

These 2 countries receive one-third of the total aid, the majority of which

pays for armaments. Yet, neither is a "developing" country.

Edited September 11, 2011 by flying

[geriatrickid]

Could get interesting if the Turks call on their NATO allies to come to their aid, if Isreal (technically) attacks them. My guess is the French and British would want to whack the Jews if they could, but that the US will stay put. And if the French and British do aid the Turks, it might be meaningless since they used up all their ammo on Libya. Somehow the Germans and the Chinese will make a profit off the entire situation.

The Turks can call, but no one will likely respond. There isn't one Nato country sympathetic to Turkey. Add to that the fact that ethnic hatreds bubble just over the borders in Romania, Greece and Bulgaria and many arab countries remember the opressive Ottoman colonial rule that was in large part responsible for the screwed up borders in the region. In the meantime, Egypt is self destructing and the tens of millions of people that tried to make the palce better are looking for a way out. Guess where they will be going? Hello Europe. Welcome your new refugees.

[geriatrickid]

You do realize that the money is controlled by Congress right?

Yes I do & I also realize who controls the members....hint ...It is not We The People

mmkay. So who elected those tea party reps?

[flying]

mmkay. So who elected those tea party reps?

Ok I will wait while you tally how much the tea party members gave to Israel & Egypt.....

Just because we lost representation of previous *Members* does not mean we will not regain proper representation in the near future with members who know what their job is & who their oath is to.

Edited September 11, 2011 by flying

[zydeco]

Could get interesting if the Turks call on their NATO allies to come to their aid, if Isreal (technically) attacks them. My guess is the French and British would want to whack the Jews if they could, but that the US will stay put. And if the French and British do aid the Turks, it might be meaningless since they used up all their ammo on Libya. Somehow the Germans and the Chinese will make a profit off the entire situation.

The Turks can call, but no one will likely respond. There isn't one Nato country sympathetic to Turkey. Add to that the fact that ethnic hatreds bubble just over the borders in Romania, Greece and Bulgaria and many arab countries remember the opressive Ottoman colonial rule that was in large part responsible for the screwed up borders in the region. In the meantime, Egypt is self destructing and the tens of millions of people that tried to make the palce better are looking for a way out. Guess where they will be going? Hello Europe. Welcome your new refugees.

Wrong. Eventually, most of those refugees will make their way to America, the land of the free(bie) and the home of the broke, where they'll receive:

monthly cash assistance

housing vouchers

medicaid

WIC

education vouchers

affirmative action hiring preferences