Three killed, 1,000 injured during clashes outside Israel's embassy in Cairo

Three killed, 1,000 injured during clashes outside Israel's embassy in Cairo

2011-09-10 23:44:44 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO (BNO NEWS) -- Israel's ambassador to Egypt left Cairo on Saturday after three Egyptians were killed and hundreds were injured during a protest outside the Israeli embassy, the Al-Ahram state-owned newspaper reported.

Three civilians were killed and 1,049 were injured after fierce clashes between police forces and Egyptian protesters erupted outside the Israeli embassy late Friday, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Some protesters managed to break into one of the floors of the building housing the Israeli Embassy, seizing hundreds of documents and throwing many from the window of the 15-story building.

Some protesters also brought down, for the second time, the Israeli flag on the building, replacing it with the Egyptian flag. The Giza police station next to the Israeli embassy was set on fire along with several police vehicles.

Earlier on Friday, more than 2,000 protesters gathered in front of the embassy to dismantle a concrete wall which was set up by security forces around the premises. 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. A sixth soldier died on Saturday morning amid the protests, the Al-Ahram state-owned newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, Friday's clashes forced Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon, his family and staff to flee the country in the middle of the night on a military flight. On Saturday morning, Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf summoned his cabinet's crisis team for an emergency meeting.

Shortly after the clashes erupted on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the situation 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."

Also on Saturday, the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, also expressed concern. "I condemn the violence on the streets of Cairo and the attacks against the Israeli embassy and call for restraint on all sides. Diplomatic property and staff must be protected," he said.

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