Already embroiled in a fierce diplomatic row with former friend and ally Turkey, Israel found itself in fresh crisis on Saturday with southern neighbour Egypt after crowds trashed its Cairo embassy. Israel has few friends in the Muslim world, and the chill on two fronts further deepens its isolation ahead of Palestinian plans to seek full membership in the United Nations.
The overnight attack on the mission, in which crowds smashed through an external security wall, tossed embassy papers from balconies and tore down the Israeli flag, was the worst since Israel set up its mission in Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with the Jewish state, in 1979. Along with Jordan it is still one of only two Arab states to host an Israeli ambassador.
Since Egyptian president Mubarak’s ouster in February after a popular revolt, activists have called for a revision of the peace treaty with Israel.
