Egypt recalls Israel envoy after Gaza air strike

Egypt recalls Israel envoy after Gaza air strike
REUTERS

NOV 21: Egypt recalled its ambassador from Israel on Tuesday protesting at "Israeli aggression" against the Palestinians, dealing the Jewish state its biggest diplomatic blow since the start of a Palestinian uprising eight weeks ago.

The decision by Egypt, one of only two Arab countries with diplomatic ties to Israel after four wars spanning 52 years, came the day after Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with missiles fired from the air and sea.

Egypt cited "Israel's escalating aggression against Palestinians" for its move.

Israel said it regretted the decision and had no plans to recall its Cairo ambassador. It said it hoped to persuade Egypt to change its mind.

Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Liel told Reuters: "We heard that the Egyptian ambassador is planning to leave tomorrow so we have still a few hours. Maybe we can still reverse the situation.

"There will be an attempt with the Egyptians on the highest level."

The Palestinian authority praised Egypt's move and urged world leaders to take "real steps" against Israel to halt the bloodshed.

The missile barrage was in retaliation for the bombing of a Jewish settler school bus in the Gaza Strip that killed two adults and wounded several children seriously.

The bombing and the missile strikes were the latest blows to Middle East peacemaking, shattered by violence in which 248 people have been killed. Most were Palestinians.

Early on Tuesday, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian in a gun battle after catching a group of "terrorists" about to plant a bomb near an army checkpoint in southern Gaza, close to the site of Monday's attack, the army said.

Hospital sources said another Gaza Palestinian died of wounds sustained in fighting with the army the night before. In the West Bank town of Jenin, Israeli soldiers shot dead a 22-year-old Palestinian man during a clash, witnesses said.

Death toll keeps climbing

Clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli troops resumed around Karni and Khan Younis in the coastal strip on Tuesday and at least 19 Palestinians were injured, two critically, including a 15-year-old girl shot in the stomach, hospitals said.

The Israeli government urged Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to order a halt to guerrilla attacks and restore calm.

Lashing back, the Palestinians said it was up to Israel to pave the way for ending nearly eight weeks of violence and a resumption of peace talks by halting the development of Jewish enclaves in Gaza and the West Bank.

Reporting the Egyptian diplomatic move, the official Middle-East News Agency (MENA) said: "President Hosni Mubarak issued instructions for the recall of Ambassador Mohammed Bassiouni to Cairo immediately because of Israel's escalating aggression against Palestinians and excessive use of force against the Palestinian people,"

It quoted Foreign Minister Amr Moussa as saying he would consult Bassiouni on the "deteriorating situation" in areas under Palestinian rule -- about 40 per cent of Gaza and the West Bank under an interim peace process now in ruin.

MENA said Bassiouni was expected to remain in Cairo for some time and gave no date for his return to Tel Aviv.

Egypt's peace role will shrink, Israel says

Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami told Israel Radio that the decision was a "very serious" step that would restrict Cairo's ability to play a role in Middle East peacemaking.

"It is a very serious issue. I think that recalling the ambassador will hurt Egypt's ability to continue to fill the very important role it has in the process here."

In contrast, Palestinian Authority cabinet minister HassanAsfour applauded Egypt's move.

"This is a critical message to the Arab nations, to the United States and to the international community that Israel has to pay the price of its aggression," he told Reuters.

"We hope this will be followed by real steps against Israel's aggressor government and we are waiting for more steps against Israel and its ally the United States," said Asfour, who is also a peace negotiator with Israel.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979. Jordan made peace with Israel in 1994.

The gun battle in Gaza on Monday erupted at an army checkpoint near the site of the bus bombing outside a settlement in the South of the partly Palestinian-ruled desert strip.

"During an operation initiated by the IDF (Israeli army) overnight near the Kissufim checkpoint in the Gaza Strip, IDF forces identified a cell of armed terrorists who were about to plant a bomb," an army statement said.

"A gun battle erupted during which one terrorist was killed...The bomb was found and neutralised, preventing a serious attack against civilians and soldiers who use the road."

The Palestinian killed, Hammad Smeiri, 22, was a member of Arafat's mainstream Fatah movement, a relative told Reuters.

Verbal war

Israeli and Palestinian leaders went back to verbal skirmishing after Monday's missile strikes on Palestinian Authority security service, police, civil defence and naval buildings. Palestinians said at least 40 people were hurt.

"I haven't a shadow of a doubt that by waving a finger, Yasser Arafat could bring about total calm," Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio.

Palestinian Justice Minister Freih Abu Meddein blamed Israel. "The settlements and the extension of settlements are an indication of violence and war," he told Reuters in Gaza.

Ahmed Korei, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Voice of Palestine radio: "The peace process is clinically dead, waiting for resuscitation...so we can resume it yet on new principles. Otherwise it will die."

Palestinians said the strikes made them even more determined to pursue their Intifada (uprising), raging since late September -- two months after a US-brokered summit failed to produce a peace treaty.