Egypt Protesters Press for Israel Envoy Ouster
Some 200 people protested Friday in front of the Israeli embassy in Egypt's capital demanding the ambassador's expulsion, after five Egyptian policemen were killed along the border with Israel last week.
We want "blood for blood" said one of the demonstrators, Mahmoud Ibrahim, who said he was a brother of one of the dead policemen. "We want revenge, we do not want compensation ... We want them to be punished."
Other demonstrators shouted: "The main demand of the people is that the embassy must expel the ambassador."
The embassy itself was protected by military vehicles and trucks loaded with riot police were parked in nearby streets.
An Egyptian flag was still flying over the embassy building after a protester last week managed to scale the structure and replace the Israeli flag with the Egyptian.
A major diplomatic crisis between the two countries was triggered by the death of the policemen on August 18 as Israeli forces chased Palestinian militants along the border after a deadly attack nearby.
Egypt has asked Israel for an official apology and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Soon after, Egyptian state television said Cairo was to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv. But on Thursday, Egypt's Information Minister Osama Heikal said there has been no such decision.
Egypt was the first Arab country to recognize Israel and signed a peace treaty with it in 1979.
Despite the treaty many Egyptians still view their neighbor with hostility and there have been calls to revise the peace agreement after a popular revolt ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February.
The military, which took power after Mubarak's overthrow, has said it will honor the treaty.
Source: Agence France Presse
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