2011 attack on the Israeli Embassy in Egypt

Last updated

2011 attack on the Israeli embassy in Egypt
Part of events surrounding the 2011 Egyptian revolution
Date9–10 September 2011
Location
Israeli embassy at Giza, Egypt [1]

30°01′43.20″N31°13′01″E / 30.0286667°N 31.21694°E / 30.0286667; 31.21694
Methods Demonstrations, rioting, online activism, infiltration [2]
Number
Several thousand protesters [3]
Casualties
Death(s)3 Egyptian protesters [2]
Injuries~1,049 Egyptian protesters [2]
2011 attack on the Israeli Embassy in Egypt

On 9 September 2011, several thousand protesters forcibly entered the Israeli embassy in Giza, Greater Cairo, after breaking down a recently constructed wall built to protect the compound. [3] [4] [5] The protesters later broke into a police station and stole weapons, resulting in police using tear gas in an attempt to protect themselves. The demonstrators eventually broke through the security wall and entered the offices of the embassy. Six members of the embassy staff, who had been in a "safe room", were evacuated from the site by Egyptian commandos, following the personal intervention of United States President Barack Obama. [6] [7] [8]

Contents

Following the attack, the Israeli deputy ambassador remained in Cairo; 85 staff members and their families returned to Israel. [9] The Egyptian army declared a state of alert.

Background

On 15 May 2011, Egyptian protesters waved Palestinian flags in front of the Israeli embassy in Giza as they burned a makeshift Israeli flag. Burning the Israeli flag at embassy in Cairo.jpg
On 15 May 2011, Egyptian protesters waved Palestinian flags in front of the Israeli embassy in Giza as they burned a makeshift Israeli flag.

During 2011, relations between Israel and Egypt deteriorated after the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, reaching their lowest point since peace was established between the nations by the 1979 EgyptIsrael Peace Treaty. The Israeli-Egyptian border became a region of conflict and instability due to increased militant activity in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, and anti-Israeli sentiment was expressed in protests by masses of Egyptians in the streets of Giza.

On 18 August 2011, a squad of militants crossed the border from the Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel, killing eight Israelis. The ensuing Israeli counter-terrorist operations in close proximity to the border resulted in the deaths of "at least three" Egyptian soldiers. [10] The soldiers' deaths by Israeli fire[ citation needed ] ignited protests at the Israeli Embassy in Giza. During a demonstration on 20 August 2011, an Egyptian protester climbed 20 feet up the building's facade to remove the Israeli flag.

The Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces considered recalling the Egyptian ambassador in Tel Aviv. Eventually, Israel publicly apologized for the deaths of the Egyptian soldiers. [11] [12] Egypt stated that Israel's apology was "insufficient." [10] [13]

The attack

On 9 September 2011, hundreds of Egyptian protesters began gathering outside of the Israeli embassy. Around 6:30 p.m. local time, they began to assault a concrete security perimeter wall with hammers and a battering ram. Egyptian authorities had erected the wall following intense protests in August.

Building infiltration

At 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning, several thousand protesters [3] breached the security wall. [14] By 1:00 a.m. they had entered the lobby and proceeded through the rest of the building. The demonstrators ransacked the embassy, located on the 20th and 21st floors of the building, and threw items including documents, some marked "confidential", from the windows of the building to the crowded street below. [15] The documents were quickly scanned and publicly commented on.[ citation needed ] Israel later revealed that the remaining Israeli security staff had been separated from the rioters only by the steel door of a safe room in which they had taken refuge.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and various other senior Israeli officials watched the events unfold from a direct feed from the surveillance cameras installed in the embassy.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor estimated that about 3,000 protesters were involved in destroying the security wall. [1] An Israeli diplomat condemned the attack as a "serious violation" of diplomatic behavior. [16]

Immediately after the protesters had infiltrated the embassy, United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta received a call from Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak asking for help. The United States assisted in assuring the protection of the Israeli embassy personnel. [17] Prime Minister Netanyahu later emphasized that he "would like to thank the US President Barack Obama for his help" in securing the lives of the Israeli embassy staff. [16]

Rescue of embassy staff and end of the riots

Six Israeli security staff who were on the premises hid inside a reinforced safe room. Egyptian commando forces entered the embassy building and rescued the six Israeli guards. [6] All other embassy staff and their family members were escorted to Cairo International Airport. At 2:40 a.m., the Israeli ambassador and approximately 85 other Israeli diplomats and their family members arrived at the airport and were flown out of Egypt. Only the deputy Israeli ambassador remained in Egypt, staying at the United States embassy. [9] A senior Egyptian security official stated that the Egyptian commandos had been sent to the embassy after Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Levanon spoke on the phone with an anonymous member of Egypt's ruling military council, and asked him to arrange the safe evacuation of the embassy staff. [6]

The demonstration and ransacking of the embassy building continued into the early morning hours as the protesters burned tires and set several police cars on fire. The Egyptian police eventually suppressed the riots and dispersed the thousands of rioters by using tear gas and firing warning shots into the air. [1]

Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Mossad director Efraim Halevy praised the actions of American president Obama in helping with the evacuation. [18]

Aftermath

Following the attack on the embassy, the Egyptian army heightened the state of alert in the country and reinstated martial law, otherwise known as State of Emergency, on a temporary basis. [19]

On the morning of Saturday, 10 September, Egypt's ruling military council rejected resignation requests that had been submitted by Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and several Egyptian ministers. Their request was made because of the failure to handle the disturbances. [20]

One day after the attacks on the embassy, a group of reporters were attacked by a crowd of people still lingering near the scene of the riots. A reporter and producer were knocked to the ground and trampled, but managed to get to a vehicle in which they retreated, with protesters throwing stones at them. They were able to flee the area without sustaining any major injuries. [21]

Arrests

In August 2012, an Egyptian court convicted 76 Egyptians who were linked to the attack on the Israeli embassy. 75 of those convicted received suspended one-year sentences, and one Egyptian, Omar Afifi who had fled abroad, [22] who was tried in absentia was given a five-year prison term. Eight charges were listed by the court, including "an assault against diplomatic missions" and "sabotage". [23]

Official reactions

Involved parties
International

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Netanyahu</span> Prime Minister of Israel (1996–1999, 2009–2021, 2022–present)

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is an Israeli politician who has been serving as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is the chairman of the Likud party. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in the country's history, having served for a total of over 16 years. He is also the first prime minister to have been born in Israel after its establishment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egypt–Israel peace treaty</span> 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel

The Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., United States, on 26 March 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords. The Egypt–Israel treaty was signed by Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, and Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, and witnessed by Jimmy Carter, President of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli–Palestinian peace process</span> Efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Intermittent discussions are held by various parties and proposals put forward in an attempt to resolve the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict through a peace process. Since the 1970s, there has been a parallel effort made to find terms upon which peace can be agreed to in both the Arab–Israeli conflict and in the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. Notably the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which included discussions on plans for "Palestinian autonomy", but did not include any Palestinian representatives. The autonomy plan would not be implemented, but its stipulations would to a large extent be represented in the Oslo Accords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Dermer</span> Former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

Ron Dermer is an American-born Israeli political consultant and diplomat serving as the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs since 2022. He served as the Israeli Ambassador to the United States from 2013 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

Since the 1960s, the United States has been a strong supporter of Israel. It has played a key role in the promotion of good relations between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states—notably Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt—while holding off hostility from countries such as Syria and Iran. Relations with Israel are an important factor in the U.S. government's overall foreign policy in the Middle East, and the U.S. Congress has placed considerable importance on the maintenance of a supportive relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

The State of Israel is represented in the Russian Federation through an embassy in Moscow and a consulate-general in Yekaterinburg. Russia is represented in Israel through an embassy in Tel Aviv and a consulate in Haifa. Russia is a member of the Quartet on the Middle East. For many years, Israel was a haven for Russian Jews. This was especially the case during the aliyah from the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1990s. Israel and the Soviet Union, Russia's predecessor state, were on opposing sides during the Cold War. However, the relationship between Israel and Russia has improved significantly since the early 2000s, with the election of the more pro-Israel Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and the election of the more pro-Russia Israeli leader Ariel Sharon. Putin has had a close relationship with long-serving Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egypt–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

Egypt–Israel relations are foreign relations between Egypt and Israel. The state of war between both countries which dated back to the 1948 Arab–Israeli War culminated in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and was followed by the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty a year after the Camp David Accords, mediated by U.S. president Jimmy Carter. Full diplomatic relations were established on January 26, 1980, and the formal exchange of ambassadors took place one month later, on February 26, 1980, with Eliyahu Ben-Elissar serving as the first Israeli Ambassador to Egypt, and Saad Mortada as the first Egyptian Ambassador to Israel. Egypt has an embassy in Tel Aviv and a consulate in Eilat. Israel has an embassy in Cairo and a consulate in Alexandria. Their shared border has two official crossings, one at Taba and one at Nitzana. The crossing at Nitzana is for commercial and tourist traffic only. The two countries' borders also meet at the shoreline of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea.

The Barack Obama administration's involvement in the Middle East was greatly varied between the region's various countries. Some nations, such as Libya and Syria, were the subject of offensive action at the hands of the Obama administration, while nations such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia received arms deliveries. Notable achievements of the administration include inhibiting the Iranian nuclear program, while his handling of certain situations, such as the Syrian civil war, were highly criticized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations between Australia and Israel, were established in 1949. Australia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Canberra.

Events in the year 2009 in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010–2011 Israeli–Palestinian peace talks</span> Diplomatic attempts to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict in 2010 and 2011; failed

Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority took place throughout 2010 as part of the peace process, between United States President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The ultimate aim of the direct negotiations is reaching an official "final status settlement" to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by implementing a two-state solution, with Israel remaining a Jewish state, and the establishment of a state for the Palestinian people.

Events in the year 2011 in Israel.

These are some of the notable events relating to politics in 2011.

International reactions to the Egyptian revolution of 2011 refer to external responses to the events that took place in Egypt between 25 January and 10 February 2011, as well as some of the events after the collapse of the government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, such as Mubarak's trial. The reactions have generally been either measured or supportive of the Egyptian people, with most governments and organisations calling for non-violent responses on both sides and peaceful moves towards reform. Whilst the protesters called for Mubarak to step down immediately, most foreign governments stopped short of this demand, at least during the early phases of the protests, due to realpolitik concerns about the consequences of a power vacuum on the stability of Egypt specifically and to the wider Middle East as a whole. Some Middle Eastern leaders expressed support for Mubarak. Meanwhile many governments issued travel advisories and evacuated their citizens from the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Keyes</span> Israeli spokesman

David Keyes is an Israeli-American public relations representative and human rights activist. Keyes was the executive director of Advancing Human Rights, the co-founder of CyberDissidents.org, and the head of Movements.org, a platform for crowdsourcing human rights. The New York Times called Keyes "a pioneer in online activism."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 southern Israel cross-border attacks</span> Series of cross-border attacks

On August 18, 2011, a series of cross-border attacks with parallel attacks and mutual cover was carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border by a squad of presumably twelve militants in four groups. The attacks occurred after Israel's interior security service Shin Bet had warned of an attack by militants in the region and Israeli troops had been stationed in the area. The militants first opened fire at an Egged No. 392 bus as it was traveling on Highway 12 in the Negev near Eilat. Several minutes later, a bomb was detonated next to an Israeli army patrol along Israel's border with Egypt. In a third attack, an anti-tank missile hit a private vehicle, killing four civilians. Eight Israelis – six civilians, one Yamam special unit police sniper and one Golani Brigade soldier—were killed in the multiple-stage attack. The Israel Defense Forces reported eight attackers killed, and Egyptian security forces reported killing another two.

The August 2012 Sinai attack occurred on 5 August 2012, when armed men ambushed an Egyptian military base in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 16 soldiers and stealing two armored cars, which they used to infiltrate into Israel. The attackers broke through the Kerem Shalom border crossing to Israel, where one of the vehicles exploded. They then engaged in a firefight with soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during which six of the attackers were killed. No Israelis were injured.

Reactions to <i>Innocence of Muslims</i> Response to a 2012 film release

The release of the anti-Islamic short film Innocence of Muslims triggered numerous demonstrations across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. On September 11, 2012, dozens of protestors scaled the walls and entered the courtyard of the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt. On September 13, 2012, protests occurred at the U.S. embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, resulting in the deaths of four protesters and injuries to thirty-five protesters and guards. On September 14, the U.S. consulate in Chennai was attacked, resulting in injuries to twenty-five protesters. Protesters in Tunis, Tunisia, climbed the U.S. embassy walls and set trees on fire. At least four people were killed and forty-six injured during protests in Tunis on September 15. Further protests were held at U.S. diplomatic missions and other locations in the days following the initial attacks. Related protests and attacks resulted in numerous deaths and injuries across the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Following the 2012 diplomatic missions attacks that began on September 11, 2012, many nations and public officials released statements. Widespread early news coverage said that the protests were a spontaneous response to an online preview of Innocence of Muslims, a movie considered offensive to Muslims. Later consideration of the Libya attack's complexity, of statements made by some Libyan officials, and of the potentially symbolic date fueled speculation of preplanned efforts. U.S. missions in Cairo, Egypt, and Benghazi, Libya, were attacked during the first day of the protest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel</span> 2017 U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital city

On December 6, 2017, the United States of America officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital city of the State of Israel. American president Donald Trump, who signed the presidential proclamation, also ordered the relocation of the American diplomatic mission to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, constituting what is now the Embassy of the United States in Jerusalem, which was established on the grounds of the former Consulate General of the United States in Jerusalem. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision and praised the announcement by the Trump administration. On December 8, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson clarified that Trump's statement "did not indicate any final status for Jerusalem" and "was very clear that the final status, including the borders, would be left to the two parties to negotiate and decide" in reference to the recognition's impact on the Israeli–Palestinian peace process.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fahmy, Mohamed Fadel (10 September 2011). "Egypt declares state of alert in wake of attack on Israeli Embassy". CNN . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Kessler, Oren (10 September 2011). "Egypt vows to prosecute those who targeted embassy". The Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on 10 September 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "Egyptians attack Israeli embassy; Obama is concerned". The Jerusalem Post. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  4. "The return of calm in front of the embassy of Israel in Giza". CNN iReport. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. Alabass, Bassem (12 September 2011). "Israeli workers in Egypt fly home in fear for safety". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Hadid, Diaa (10 September 2011). "Egypt commandos save 6 Israelis in embassy attack". Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  7. Williams, Dan (10 September 2011). "Israel lauds Obama's role in Cairo crisis". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  8. "Obama asks Egypt to protect Israeli embassy". 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  9. 1 2 Kirkpatrick, David (10 September 2011). "After Attack on Embassy, Egypt Vows a Tougher Stance on Protests". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Egypt says Israel apology of troop deaths is insufficient". CNN. 21 August 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  11. "Ehud Barak, Israel Defense Minister, Regrets Deaths of Egyptian Troops". HuffPost. 20 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  12. "Israel Apologizes For Deaths of Egyptian Troops in Shootout With Militants". Fox News. 20 August 2011. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  13. "Egypt deems Israel's apology for policemen deaths 'insufficient'". Haaretz Daily Newspaper. 21 August 2011. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  14. "Egyptians protest against military rule". 9 September 2011. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  15. Ali, Mostafa (10 September 2011). "The storming of Cairo's Israeli embassy: an eyewitness account (part I)". Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Israel pulls envoy after embassy attack". 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  17. Ravid, Barak (10 September 2011). "U.S. told Egypt it must rescue Israeli embassy workers or suffer 'consequences,'". Haaretz Daily Newspaper. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  18. Wexler, Robert (22 September 2011). "Defending Obama's pro-Israel credentials". The Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  19. "Egypt Declares Emergency After Attack on Israeli Embassy". Businessweek. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  20. Lina, Yang (10 September 2011). "Egypt's ruling military council rejects PM's resignation". Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  21. Watson, Ivan (11 September 2011). "Angry crowd turns on journalists reporting embassy attack in Egypt". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  22. "Egypt orders man to jail over Israel embassy attack". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. 26 August 2012. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  23. "Egypt: 76 convicted for last year's attack on Israeli Embassy". The Times of Israel . 26 August 2012. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  24. "Egypt: We are committed to maintaining Israel peace treaty". Haaretz Daily Newspaper. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  25. "Israel Embassy Attacked: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Condemns Violence in Egypt". HuffPost. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  26. "Netanyahu: Peace agreement with Egypt will be maintained". The Jerusalem Post. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  27. Nahmias, Roee (10 September 2011). "Egypt to try Israel embassy rioters". Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  28. "AFP: Canada condemns attack on Israeli embassy in Egypt" . Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  29. "Germany condemns attack on Israeli Embassy in Cairo". The Jerusalem Post. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  30. "Iran praises raid on Israel's embassy". Financial Times . 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  31. "UK's Cameron condemns attack on Israeli Embassy in Cairo". The Jerusalem Post. 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  32. "Israeli Embassy attacked in Egypt, envoy flees". The Statesman . 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2012.