Israel strives to avert Egyptian ambassador’s recall. US in mediation bid
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report August 20, 2011, 6:05 PM
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak held intensive consultations Saturday, Aug. 20, on the sudden sharp downturn in relations with Egypt and ways to prevent its government going through with a decision announced earlier to recall its ambassador from Israel.
Netanyahu contacted the White House and Barak, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. They replied that without an immediate Israeli apology to Cairo, there was no point in them interceding with Egyptian rulers to reverse their decision. The defense minister thereupon issued a public statement of Israeli regret for the deaths of Egyptian policemen in the course of a terrorist attack on the Israeli-Egyptian border.
He said he had ordered the IDF to investigate the incident and then conduct a joint probe with the Egyptian military to determine the circumstances of the incident. Israel attaches the highest importance to its peace accord with Egypt and its value for Middle East stability, Barak said.
By Saturday evening, Cairo had not responded to this statement or altered its decision to recall the ambassador.
In Cairo meanwhile the Israeli embassy was besieged for the second day by angry protesters demanding the ambassador’s expulsion, while the Egyptian media carried hostile reports on relations with Israel.
Cairo announced that due to the strained ties, it was suspending talks with Israel on the resumption of gas supplies at revised prices.
Back now to debkafile’s first report on the episode earlier Saturday.
Egypt is to withdraw its ambassador to Israel to protest what it calls “breach of the peace treaty” over the deaths of five Egyptian security personnel. In its statement Saturday morning, Aug. 20, Cairo referred to an incident alleged to have occurred Thursday as Palestinian terrorists coming from Sinai attacked Israel’s Eilat highway.
The cabinet emergency committee meeting in Cairo said: “Egypt will withdraw its ambassador to Israel until it receives an apology and the results of an official investigation into the killing of five Egyptian policemen near the border. Israel will be held responsible for political and legal implications of the incident which was a violation of the Camp David Treaty.”
The second part of the Egyptian statement demanded an Israeli apology for the “hasty and regrettable statements about Egypt.”
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the scene of the terrorist attack commented that it reflected “the weakening of Egypt’s hold in the Sinai and the broadening of activities by terror elements.”
He thoughtlessly pointed at Egypt to redirect domestic criticism of the army for not adequately responding to an intelligence warning of the coming attack, which left eight Israelis dead and 40 injured.
The Cairo rejoinder: “Egypt will also take protective measures and strengthen security at the border with the necessary forces capable of deterring alleged infiltrators as well as responding to any activity by the Israeli military.”
This statement contained a direct threat to set aside the decades-long peace treaty with Israel which mandates the demilitarization of Sinai as a buffer zone between the two countries.
Angry demonstrations outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo and other towns were sparked Friday night by Barak’s comment and the testimony of witnesses at the scene of the deadly multiple Palestinian attack alleging that Egyptian soldiers on the Sinai side of the border had aimed fire at Israeli targets and terrorists in Egyptian army uniform were seen near Egyptian military positions just across the unfenced border.
There were also reports that Egyptian soldiers were attacked and killed by masked men in Sinai, which is known to be infested with terrorists including al Qaeda.
But the Egyptian military rulers’ step means that Cairo is suspending the Camp David peace treaty and will not consult Israel as mandated before transferring as many troops as it likes into Sinai until an Israeli investigation throws full light on the events that unfolded around Thursday’s deadly terrorist attack.
debkafile’s Egyptian sources report that Cairo is planning to inject substantial military strength into the Sinai Peninsula in the coming hours, forcing Israel’s army to confront the Egyptian army on its southwestern border for the first time in three decades.
This diplomatic misfortune is the direct consequence of a grave misjudgment by the Israeli military. Despite a timely and specific intelligence warning, the high command especially in the South failed to take seriously the possibility of a minor Palestinian terrorist group in Gaza, the Popular Resistance Committees, mounting what was the most sophisticated, coordinated terror operation Israel has ever suffered in its long experience of Palestinian violence.
The PRC did more than sow death on a major Israeli highway and disrupt life and traffic in the whole of its southern region. It has driven cracks in the Egyptian-Israeli peace which altered the face of the Middle East and held up for 32 years against attempts by most of the Arab world to overturn the epic Camp David treaty
In Cairo, Alexandria and Suez, the three Egyptian cities in the forefront of the revolution which toppled Hosni Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood organized anti-Israel rallies Friday and Saturday. The demonstrators shouted that Egyptian blood would not be spilled in vain and called for a strong reprisal.
The incident is fast becoming an issue in Egypt’s presidential campaign among the Brothers and other contenders.
Israel’s decision-makes missed the train badly on Thursday by failing to take one of two obvious courses:
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1. Proposing directly to Egypt’s rulers that if indeed Egyptian servicemen were hit inadvertently during the IDF operation to end the terrorist attack on its citizens, Israel apologized and would be willing to set up a joint panel with Egypt to probe the alleged incident and make sure there would be no recurrence.
2. Alternatively, Israel had every reason to be first to lodge a protest – both with Egypt and the United Nations – after 15-20 heavily armed Palestinian gunmen laid up for weeks in Egyptian Sinai carried out a series of deadly terrorist attacks on an Israeli road.
However, our sources report that in the first hours after the attack, the Israeli government and high command were too bewildered to think clearly and react rationally.
Now it is too late. Egypt’s ruling generals are beyond heeding testimony, however credible, demonstrating that al Qaeda – not Israeli troops or helicopters – was responsible for the Egyptian deaths. Egged on by the Muslim Brotherhood, they have taken the first step on the road to revoking the historic Camp David peace accords.
They can only be turned back if the United States intercedes and urges them to think again and abandon this radical and hazardous course.
Victor Sharpe comments
The initial stage of the war some of us knew would come has begun. The Camp David peace treaty is essentially dead. Giving away Sinai in return for a piece of worthless paper called a peace treaty reveals yet again that the abandonment of tangible land to Muslims who promise peace in return – be they Arab or non-Arab – is the grand delusion.
Just think how insane would be the abandonment by the Jewish state of its biblical and ancestral heritage and patrimony – Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) – to the most deceitful and mendacious of all Arabs, those who call themselves Palestinians, and how Israelis would be routinely attacked and slaughtered in the 9 mile wide narrow waist that Israel would be reduced to.
If any good can come from this premeditated massacre of Israelis in southern Israel it is the realization that a “two state solution” will truly be for the Jewish state another “final solution.” There must not be another six million Jewish dead. That would leave barely 6,000,000 Jews left alive in this most calamitous and evil world; a 21st century world that may well be the bloodiest yet.
Israel’s room for maneuver is shrinking. It would be wise for Israel to immediately annex Area C in Judea and Samaria. It would also be wise to also retake the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and the Gaza Strip at Rafah. But I have called for this since last February after Egypt’s overthrow of the Mubarak regime and my words have fallen on deaf ears. I do not see such steps happening without a fundamental change in the Israeli leadership’s sense of priorities and the acquiring of the requisite and necessary testicular fortitude.
Certainly, Ehud Barak, must leave his position as Defense Minister. He may be Israel’s most decorated military leader but as an Israeli politician he has been a disaster. Israel now faces an Egypt that has essentially torn up the old peace treaty, has reneged on its gas supplies to Israel, and is fast becoming an Islamic Republic with genocidal intentions towards Israel and its inhabitants.
And in the United States an anti-American president who has marked Muslim sympathies will not aid and comfort Israel. That is a guarantee.
Truth in everything you said, Ron.
@ rongrand:
Yes mate, you’re spot on. Time to annex the parts of the West Bank we want and give the rest to Jordan or the UN. Maybe the UK (formerly Great Britain) would like to pull out of Iraq, Afganistan and Libya, in order to send troops to police the poor, poor Palestinians it so loves.
It is revolting that Muslim President Obama in the White Mosque and Hillary Clinton want Israel to apologize for defending Jews.
Why is Obama/Clinton/Egypt not demanding that the Muslim terrorist killers not apologize? Why demand an apology from jihad victim, Israel?
@ rongrand:
The problem is the Fu….g. selfish Americans. They only regard what is important to the U.S. Obama, Bush realy really screwed up on Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and all the other stans. Uncle Sam is broke, crime ridden and quite degenerate. The American dollar, flag, credibiilty has been self debased, ruined. In that regard, I agree wholeheartedly with Laura. The U.S. has undermined Mubarrek and Israel is now paying the price.
Laura, G-d bless you, your right on.
It’s all about hatred for the Jews and Israel.
Let’s face it, I would venture a major portion of those who support the Palestinians and a Palestinian state don’t really give a damn about the Pal’s., their support is merely a stand against Israel and the Jews, all anti-Semitism.
Israel doesn’t owe anyone an apology, in fact the world owes Israel and her people an apology.
Amazing how some US congressmen complain about supporting the Israel IDF and yet have no qualms about proving aid to Arab nations who support terrorism, the likes of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the likes of Syria (amen) all who hate us. That’s anti-Semitism at its best.
The world is full of two-faces.
Amazing, Muslims disrupt and cause havoc around the world especially in England and notice the political correctness treatment they are afforded.
Who said the world isn’t upside down.
You people must understand that the rules are that muslims are never required to apologize no matter what atrocities they commit. That it is their victims who must apologize. So of course once again, Israel is supposed to apologize to those who murder its citizens. The west has accepted islamic supremacy.
This terrorist attack was just an catalyst for what was going to happen anyway. The preaching of hatred has been going on in Egypt for a long time and it was only a matter of time before a crack formed in the peace treaty dam and the hate came pouring out.
Egypt must apologize for launching the attacks against Israel — They were launched from Egyptian territory, with tacit Egyptian consent. Also, the bereaved families should sue the Egyptian government for damages.
Israel by nature is an apologist State. It is so used to saying I am “sorry” for this action or for that action that it makes me sick. Ever since Moshe Dayan gave back the Holiest site in all Jewry,The Temple Site, Israel was doomed. Look at the actions Israel takes today. Israel is begging these terrorist nations for being alive. Thank goodness I stopped giving money to The State of Israel. Any other Jewish charity but Israel directly is fine. Money going to The State of Israel is a bad investment.
Another comment in moderation?????
@ g.man:
Egypt for the past 30 years has been trying to break and or alter the clauses in Camp David agreements limiting their military presence in Sinai to lightly armed gendarmes. Thanks to BB they are succeeding. Our leaders have no personal pride or individual ethics and certainly have no national ones.
I have been saying that our real and most dangerous existential enemy is Egypt. Outside of Israel and Turkey they have the only real army in the ME. They have the largest army and the best equipped army in the region. They have in arms exceeded parity with Israel, they are American trained and their military budget is several times that of Israel. They have been training with only a singular enemy as target –ISRAEL. They also have an advanced nuclear and bio/chem programs.
Egypt has attacked Israel 4 times since 48′, Iran’s threat should be taken seriously but aside from Nukes they are no threat and have never attacked Israel directly like Egypt. It is only a matter of time before we will war with Egypt again and I have the sinking feeling that we Israelis will again pay a heavy price for all the misconceptions, wishful thinking and self-delusion by our political and military leader, past, present and it looks from like future as well.
If Hamas and Al Qaida are operating freely in Sinai it is with the knowledge,and support of the Egyptians both under Mubarak and under the current junta.
The border in Rafah is open to Hamas for movement and importing weapons. They have accumulated since Cast Lead thousand of Grads and antiaircraft missiles, some have the range to hit T/A and the reactor here in Dimona. Israel has allowed this situation to develop and since our leaders and military have the ultimate responsibility for our safety and protection, it is obvious they have all failed and if it isn’t obvious today it will be clear to all soon when we lose hundreds if not thousands of our kids and civilians.
birdalone:
I’ve been thinking about this for quite a while now. The economist, Samuelson, talked about “Guns or Butter”. The folks in the ummah chose guns – nice expensive guns (and bombs) – using mostly money from Kuffar taxes. Hope they’re edible.
g.man: Nicely put…
A public apology is part of the concept of humiliate the Jews(before we kill them(G-D forbid).
With the Syrian leadership in trouble, Hizbolla leadership having problems with many of its top people on murder charges for killing a previous top dog in Lebanon, Egypt in turmoil, the poison dwarf in Iran suffering with permanent premature articulation,It would suit any or all of the above to instigate an armed conflict with Israel to take the focus away from their own little dung heaps.They may indulge in self delusion all they want,however when it comes to fight, Israel punches above its weight.
BB and Barak are crapping in their pants:
Israel regrets Egypt deaths, pledges probe
Turkey seeing Israel begging Egypt to maintain relations, hardened their position to…. no Israeli apology ,they will break all relations with Israel and offer military assistance to the PA and Hamas. BB is really criminally stupid and yellow a mile wide. We have been hit just today with over 25 Grads deaths in Beersheba and many serious some critical injuries. What is he doing? Pleading with Hamas to stop… These idiots have allowed Hamas and other groups to arm themselves with over 10000 rockets some that can hit Tel Aviv. He doesn’t care about us in the South but if they hit T/A the cry of the left will demand his head and the right won’t support him.
Israel balks at apology to Turkey for killings
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10746313
Blood in the Streets
By Caroline B. Glick
Unbelievable. Israel is attacked repeatedly and Israel is supposed to apologize? Will Israel be getting permission from the U.S. to retaliate further?
The USA sure does love to try and make Israel apologize alot. I’d love to spit in the fat eared, muslim, neo marxist in the WH’s face.
Is there any point at which Egypt expressed condolences for the murder of Israeli civilians? Or outrage at the fact that the terrorists used Egyptian soil to launch a murderous attack? Or anger at Hamas for expressing support for an operation that cost Egyptian and Israeli lives?
If not, then they are simply using this event as an excuse to do what they have planned to do all along.
Will Egypt’s army be able to control half of Egyptians (30 million people) in violent bread riots by Christmas? most likely attack the Coptic Christians.
Maybe Israel got suckered this time, but Egypt’s military will fail to control the Sinai Bedouin and Gaza.
Neither Egypt nor Israel can expect any kind of help from the USA unless the Suez Canal is threatened. The Suez is the only thing USA cares about.