Egypt vows to prosecute Israeli Embassy attackers

The Egyptian government on Saturday vowed that it would prosecute the protesters who attacked the Israeli Embassy in Cairo over the weekend, driving out all but one member of Israel's diplomatic staff.

The attack began late Friday night when protesters stormed the Israeli Embassy building in Cairo, tossing embassy documents from the windows and burning the Israeli flag. Egyptian police and soldiers arrived at the scene, firing tear gas and shots into the air to try to disperse the crowds. The protesters responded by throwing stones and setting police cars on fire. Many of them had attended an earlier demonstration in central Cairo calling on the army to put an end to emergency law and bring about political reforms. Three people died and at least 1,000 more were injured in the clashes at the Israeli Embassy building, Reuters reported, quoting the Egyptian Health Ministry. None of those killed or injured were Israeli.

Egyptian Information Minister Osama Hassan Heikal was quoted by Reuters as saying Saturday that Egypt would take those protesters who were in police custody or “involved in inciting or participating in [Friday’s] events to the emergency state security court."

"Egypt witnessed a difficult day, and it has made all Egyptians feel pain and concern. It is clear that the behavior of some threatens the Egyptian revolution,” Heikal added.

Egypt's Justice Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz el-Guindy told state television that the government had decided to "forcefully" maintain emergency law and that trials against the protesters would be swift, Reuters reported.

The comments came after the Egyptian leadership on Saturday declared a state of emergency following the attack. Egypt also deployed hundreds of soldiers from elite army units to the Giza quarter, where the embassy building is located.

An Egyptian official said that "The urgent requests from the United States and the series of condemnations from Washington and Europe forced the leadership to convene an emergency meeting over the weekend during which it was decided to declare the situation in Egypt a state of emergency."

Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf reportedly took responsibility for failing to control the attack and announced his resignation, but Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, rejected his resignation, according to Al Arabiya.

Other Egyptian officials on Saturday said that Israel acted judiciously by leaving its deputy ambassador behind in Egypt after summoning the rest of the diplomatic staff back to Israel.

"[Friday's] event should not have implications for the continuation of diplomatic relations between [Israel and Egypt], and after all the problems are solved, Israeli diplomats will be able to return to Cairo," an Egyptian official said.

The statements come despite warnings from many of the demonstrators that they will not stop attacking the Israeli Embassy in Cairo until the Egyptian leadership severs diplomatic ties with Israel and officially expels its ambassador.

One of the protesters, 24-year-old Mohi Alaa, told Reuters after the overnight clashes that, “Our dignity has been restored."

“We don’t want the Americans’ money,” he was quoted as saying, referring to Egyptian resentment at Israel and the United States after decades of pragmatic official relations, according to Reuters.

Washington: Egypt must uphold international agreements

Following the attack on the Israeli Embassy, U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday called on the Egyptian government to "honor its international obligations" and ensure the safety of Israeli Embassy personnel.

He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington was taking measures to resolve the situation, Reuters reported.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Washington was in contact with Egyptian and Israeli officials over the violence.

“We are relieved that no embassy personnel were injured," she said. "Israel and Egypt are key partners and allies of the United States, and both states have made clear their continuing commitment to maintain their bilateral relationship and the peace treaty between them, which remains a cornerstone of regional stability."

The attack on the Israeli Embassy also drew strong condemnation from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he expected Egypt to honor the agreements they signed.

"We have urged the Egyptian authorities to meet their responsibilities under the Vienna Convention to protect diplomatic property and personnel, including the Israeli Embassy in Cairo. They have reassured us that they take these very seriously," he said in a statement, adding, "We urge both countries to work together to resolve current tensions and enhance regional stability."

In a surprising response from the Arab world, Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Haled bin Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Halifa also denounced the attack on the Israeli Embassy, saying via his Twitter account that "The failure to defend the embassy building is a blatant violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations."

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