CAIRO: Hundreds of Egyptian activists converged on the Israeli Embassy in Giza on Friday evening and tore down the protective barrier surrounding the building's complex. The activists then replaced the barrier with a Palestinian flag and chanted as they burned the Star of David flag of Israel. Fireworks and anti-Israeli chants were heard as the excitement of what was happening took hold of the masses. The main chant called on Egyptians to “hold your head up high.” The demonstration and attack on the wall comes less than one month since a cross-border raid by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) left five Egyptian border police and soldiers dead. The attack sparked massive demonstrations at the embassy, calling on the Egyptian government to expel the Israeli ambassador from the country. One activist told Bikyamasr.com that tearing down the wall is an “important to show Egypt's dignity.” Egyptian officials reported that the wall was designed to protect residents of the high rise in which the embassy is located, not the Israeli mission itself. The claim was met with disbelief by some observers. On its website, Egypt's al-Wafd party stated that the wall was constructed to prevent protesters from entering the embassy. “It is obvious that the reason behind building the wall is to prevent protesters in the future from reaching the embassy and to protect it,” said political analyst Mustapha al-Sayyid, quoted in a Reuters report. Relations between Egypt and Israel have cooled since the fall of the Mubarak government. Israeli troops shot five Egyptian security personnel dead in a border clash last month, intensifying tensions and sparking angry protest within Egypt. Anxieties over a security void in the Sinai escalated diplomatic tensions between Egypt and Israel. ** Sarah Sheffer contributed to this report. BM
