Asia

Home page

Asia

Israel urges Egypt to fly its flag at embassy in Cairo

25 August 2011 19:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed a report that it called on the Egyptian government to replace an Israeli flag torn down from its envoy’s residence in Cairo on Tuesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman tasked former Israeli Ambassador Shalom Cohen with convincing Egyptian counterparts to replace the flag.
The incident at the residence of Ambassador Yitzhak Levanon followed a similar incident at the Israeli embassy last Friday, in which an Egyptian protestor climbed 15 stories to the roof and replaced the Israeli flag with an Egyptian one.
Ahmed al-Shahat then threw the Israeli flag down to an enraged crowd demonstrating over the deaths last Thursday of several Egyptian soldiers in a firefight with Israeli troops during the course of a militant attack on Israeli motorists along the border.
However, despite tensions on Cairo’s streets, "We still have an intensive dialogue with the Egyptian authorities," ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told Xinhua on Thursday. Palmor said the dialogue was "aimed at enabling the Israeli embassy in Cairo to resume its work under normal conditions, including (replacing) the flag," at the embassy.
The protesters are calling for what organizers said was to be a "million-man protest" outside the embassy on Friday after midday prayers, according to Egyptian organizers speaking to Egyptian daily al-Youm al-Saba’a.
While Palmor wouldn’t comment on the proposed rally, he said that "people who are not in the government are grossly misinformed by the local media, and even incited to violence. An example of that being a picture of the Israeli ambassador with a bulls-eye on him published in the local newspaper, al-Wafd."
Egyptian officials have reportedly told Israeli counterparts that they would not return the flags, claiming that "the masses won’t allow it."
Palmor, however, said that the opinions of "the masses" are being shaped and amplified by hostile media.
"They are being fed the most ludicrous conspiracy theories, about sharks trained by the Mossad, and infertility shampoos being distributed by the Mossad, and stupid rumors like this that are being taken seriously by some people, which create an atmosphere full of hate based on lies and incitement," Palmor charged.
An Israeli Defense Forces preliminary report on the events on Thursday revealed that some of the militants fired from Egyptian border outposts, and wore Egyptian military garb. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel "regretted" the loss of life, but stopped short of an explicit apology -- a key Egyptian demand -- and Cairo officials said Barak’s statement was inadequate.
National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror said Thursday that " Israel is ready to hold a joint probe with the Egyptians on the events of last week," according to Army Radio.
The Prime Minister’s Office also noted Amidror’s words, adding that any such investigation "would be set by the armies of both sides," according to Haaretz.
Palmor said it was in Egypt’s interest to continue a normal relationship with Israel.
"Not just the military rulers, but also politicians that are in power and have responsibility know full well what the nature and scope of the relationship with Israel means for Egypt," Palmor said, concluding that "they know that there’s a vested interest for Egypt and Israel to maintain this relationship working and fluid."