Netanyahu on Embassy Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his cabinet ministers in a meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss the violence outside their embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo on Friday night.

“I'm happy that there are many voices in Egypt including their government that want to continue to promote peace. We are in touch with the Egyptian government about the necessary arrangements for our ambassador’s return and the safety of our diplomatic staff so that we can continue to uphold Israel's representation in Egypt," Netanyahu said.

Hundreds of demonstrators attacked the Israeli mission on Friday while Egyptian troops assisted the evacuation of the ambassador and diplomatic staff.

Mark Heller, principal research associate of the institute for national security studies at Tel Aviv University said the riots in Egypt underline the current governmental impasse in the country.

“I think the events in Cairo over the weekend are symptomatic of a continuing crisis in Egyptian governance. The inability of the provisional government or the supreme military council to restore order," Heller said.

Zvi Mazel, former Israeli ambassador to Egypt is currently a researcher of Arab-Israeli relations. he says it's important to bank on the peace that has existed between the two nations for over three decades.

"Egypt is in a very difficult situation, absolutely. But, speaking about the future we cannot say this is the end of the story. There is a peace... there's peace between us and Egypt since '79, 33 years, even if there are some problems, and there are difficult problems, we think that the interest of Egypt is to maintain peace because peace with Israel, which is an Arabic country, gives stability to Egypt. It stops adventurism and it gives Egypt the time to go for real reform of the society and of economy," Mazel said.

The weekend clashes resulted in the death of three people, and little over 1,000 were injured. Egyptian authorities have said those who instigated the riots will be properly punished.

Speakers:

Benjamin Netanyahu - Israeli PM
Mark Heller - Researcher at Tel Aviv University
Zvi Mazel - Former Israeli ambassador to Egypt

Voice:

Husam Jubali