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Egyptian protesters break into Israeli embassy building
11:34, 10 September, 2011
ARMENPRESS:
Protesters have broken into the building housing Israel's embassy in
Egypt's capital, Cairo, entering consular offices, officials said.
Security forces fired tear gas at the protesters who threw stones and
petrol bombs at police vehicles. Israel's ambassador has flown out of
Egypt.
US President Barack Obama urged Egypt to protect the embassy after
Israel asked Washington for help.
Hundreds of protesters remain near the embassy, burning tyres in the street.
Live gun shots have been heard, as riot police try to disperse the
demonstrators, says the BBC's Bethany Bell, in Cairo.
The air is still thick with tear gas, our correspondent says.
There have been protests outside the embassy for weeks amid a downturn
in Egypt-Israel relations.
The unrest began after Friday prayers, when thousands converged on
Cairo's Tahrir Square to demand faster political reforms following the
ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak in February.
Later, hundreds marched on the Israeli embassy. They destroyed a wall
around the building, before a group of about 30 broke in and threw
documents out of windows.
Reuters news agency quoted an Israeli official in Jerusalem as saying
that the documents appeared to be "pamphlets and forms kept at the
foyer". Egypt's state media said some of the documents were marked
confidential.
An Israeli official told the BBC the intruders had entered consular
offices, but not the main embassy.
After initially standing by, police moved against the protesters,
firing tear gas. Several vehicles were set alight.
Live TV pictures in the early hours of Saturday showed protesters
throwing petrol bombs at police vans which drove at a crowd of people
to try to scatter them.
Shots were heard in the area but it is not clear who fired them. There
are reports a police station near the embassy was raided by
protesters.
Egyptian state media said about 400 people had been injured in the unrest.
The BBC's Hamada Abu-Qamar in Cairo says the protesters want the
embassy to be shut down.
A statement from the office of Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak
said he had spoken with his US counterpart Leon Panetta and had "asked
them to protect the embassy from the demonstrators".
President Obama appealed to Egypt to honour its international
obligations and protect the mission, the White House said in a
statement.
Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon, his family and other embassy
officials have been flown out of the country on board a military
plane, Egyptian state TV reported.
However, Reuters says the Israeli consul is staying in Cairo to
maintain the mission.
Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf had summoned his cabinet crisis
team while the interior ministry put police forces on alert.
11:34, 10 September, 2011
ARMENPRESS:
Protesters have broken into the building housing Israel's embassy in
Egypt's capital, Cairo, entering consular offices, officials said.
Security forces fired tear gas at the protesters who threw stones and
petrol bombs at police vehicles. Israel's ambassador has flown out of
Egypt.
US President Barack Obama urged Egypt to protect the embassy after
Israel asked Washington for help.
Hundreds of protesters remain near the embassy, burning tyres in the street.
Live gun shots have been heard, as riot police try to disperse the
demonstrators, says the BBC's Bethany Bell, in Cairo.
The air is still thick with tear gas, our correspondent says.
There have been protests outside the embassy for weeks amid a downturn
in Egypt-Israel relations.
The unrest began after Friday prayers, when thousands converged on
Cairo's Tahrir Square to demand faster political reforms following the
ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak in February.
Later, hundreds marched on the Israeli embassy. They destroyed a wall
around the building, before a group of about 30 broke in and threw
documents out of windows.
Reuters news agency quoted an Israeli official in Jerusalem as saying
that the documents appeared to be "pamphlets and forms kept at the
foyer". Egypt's state media said some of the documents were marked
confidential.
An Israeli official told the BBC the intruders had entered consular
offices, but not the main embassy.
After initially standing by, police moved against the protesters,
firing tear gas. Several vehicles were set alight.
Live TV pictures in the early hours of Saturday showed protesters
throwing petrol bombs at police vans which drove at a crowd of people
to try to scatter them.
Shots were heard in the area but it is not clear who fired them. There
are reports a police station near the embassy was raided by
protesters.
Egyptian state media said about 400 people had been injured in the unrest.
The BBC's Hamada Abu-Qamar in Cairo says the protesters want the
embassy to be shut down.
A statement from the office of Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak
said he had spoken with his US counterpart Leon Panetta and had "asked
them to protect the embassy from the demonstrators".
President Obama appealed to Egypt to honour its international
obligations and protect the mission, the White House said in a
statement.
Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon, his family and other embassy
officials have been flown out of the country on board a military
plane, Egyptian state TV reported.
However, Reuters says the Israeli consul is staying in Cairo to
maintain the mission.
Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf had summoned his cabinet crisis
team while the interior ministry put police forces on alert.