Egypt's military rulers ignored pleas from US as mob attacked Israeli embassy |
|
Egypt's military leaders have been accused of turning a blind eye to the mob attack on Israel's Cairo embassy at the weekend as it emerged that they ignored repeated telephone calls from the Obama administration.
Adrian Blomfield | Telegraph | Published: 09/12/2011 07:29
|
With six Israeli security guards fending off an angry mob rampaging through the mission, Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, tried for two hours to get hold of Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Egypt's de facto head of state, to demand an immediate rescue operation.
Aides told Mr Panetta that the general could not be found, Israeli officials were quoted as saying. The response prompted fury in Washington, and threats of US retribution. Field Marshal Tantawi's mysterious disappearance intensified speculation that Egypt's generals had deliberately failed to protect the embassy for political gain.
The armed forces, which are running Egypt until a civilian government is elected at the end of the year, are thought to be desperate to retain the political influence and financial privileges they enjoyed under President Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled by protests in February.
Officials in Israel, as well as a number of political activists in Cairo, have claimed that Field Marshal Tantawi turned down an opportunity to rein in the violence at the embassy in order to prove that, without a strong army, Egypt would descend into violence and anarchy.
Israel was forced to send military aircraft to Cairo to evacuate its ambassador and more than 80 diplomats after a mob, angered by the killing of three Egyptian border guards by Israeli forces last month, laid siege to the embassy. As the Egyptian police and army stood by, unwilling or unable to intervene, the rioters broke through the mission's defences and ransacked the building. The incident has plunged relations between Israel and its oldest Arab ally deep into crisis.
![Pictures of horror: Aftermath of Japanese disaster [PHOTO]](/images/en/10095_t.jpg)
![Libyan war plane shot down [PHOTO/VIDEO]](/images/en/10020_t.jpg)
![I need a copy of the Internet [CARTOON]](/images/en/7659_t.gif)
![Brilliant Nikon ad [PHOTO]](/images/en/7617_t.jpg)
![Funny food art [PHOTO]](/images/en/7538_t.jpg)
![Couch Surfing [PHOTO]](/images/en/7521_t.jpg)
![Girl looking bored with hype around Obama [PHOTO]](/images/en/7506_t.jpg)
![Drunk British students run amok during spring break in Spanish town [PHOTO]](/images/en/7492_t.jpg)
![Japanese monkeys in snowball fight [PHOTO]](/images/en/7401_t.jpg)
![Beautiful Pieces of Edible Art [Photo]](/images/en/7257_t.jpg)
![Jessica Simpson Meets Long-Neck Karen Women in Thailand [Photo]](/images/en/7251_t.jpg)
- Mixed reviews for Romney’s leadership on fatal Big Dig ceiling collapse as governor
- Obama campaign attacks Mitt Romney for his role in Ampad paper company banktrupcy
- Mary Kennedy Laid to Rest in Bedford, New York
- Dharun Ravi to face sentencing this morning in Rutgers webcam spying trial
- Attacks in Yemen Raise Concerns About Qaeda Affiliate
- Late rally gives determined Thunder Game 2 win vs. Lakers
- New York And Los Angeles City Councils Approve Responsible Banking Ordinances
- Staples Center to host 6 playoff games in 4 days
- Tim Duncan leads Spurs past beat-up Clippers to take Game 1
- Trayvon Martin killed by single gunshot fired from 'intermediate range,' autopsy shows
![Naughty women with a sense of humor [PHOTO]](http://www.laoverview.com/images/en/9218_t.jpg)
Opinion & Blogs
Secret panel can put Americans on "ki...
American militants like Anwar al-Awlaki are placed on a kill or capture list by...
