Egyptian commandos freed six Israeli security guards stranded at their mob-occupied embassy in Cairo overnight in a gutsy image-saving raid that drew applause from a grateful Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.
The trapped embassy guards were in a super-secure room at the mission that the mob could not break down, and Israeli officials watched the commando mission in a war room in Jerusalem as it unfolded, according to an inside source cited by YNetNews.
The stranded Israelis were whisked off to the Cairo airport, where they boarded an Israeli military plane.
"The mob attack on the Israeli embassy in Egypt is a serious incident, but could have been worse had the rioters managed to get through the last door and hurt our people," Netanyahu said.
The Obama administration quietly but firmly pressed the interim military government in Egypt to take action to ensure every Israeli was able to flee the embassy safely.
"I'm glad we managed to prevent a disaster and would like to thank U.S. President Obama for his help. I would also like to congratulate all the intelligence officials who helped in the rescue for their excellent work," Netanyahu said.
"The fact that the Egyptian authorities acted with determination and rescued our people should be noted and we extend them our thanks," Netanyahu added. "However, Egypt must not ignore the severe injury to the fabric of peace with Israel and such a blatant violation of international norms. We will hold consultations later on."
The Israeli ambassador to Egypt, his family and 80 staff earlier safely returned to Israel after about 30 angry protesters breached a cement wall with sledge hammers and stormed the Israeli embassy.
Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon and his entourage left Cairo for Israel early this morning on a military aircraft, Haaretz reported.
The mob managed to get into part of the Israeli embassy, where they dumped hundreds of documents and an Israeli flag out of the windows of the building.
The protesters set fire to two police vehicles outside the embassy and clashed with authorities who were unable to stop the ransacking of the embassy.
Yaakov Dvir, Israel's consul for state affairs and deputy ambassador, will remain in Egypt to maintain an Israeli presence, Reuters reported.
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Obama Says US Had To Act And Did
President Obama sent a message tonight to some of the naysayers on his Libya policy:
"It’s true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what’s right," Obama said.
"So for those who doubted our capacity to carry out this operation, I want to be clear: the United States of America has done what we said we would do."
Obama framed his anticipated Libya speech tonight around the greatness of America and what separates it from others, with a genuine tip of the hat to the U.S. Armed Forces.
"I want to begin by paying tribute to our men and women in uniform who, once again, have acted with courage, professionalism and patriotism. They have moved with incredible speed and strength. Because of them and our dedicated diplomats, a coalition has been forged and countless lives have been saved," Obama said in his remarks at the National Defense University.
Obama said NATO will take over the mission Wednesday with the U.S. playing a support role, as promised. The U.S. will not increase its role and while it would be best for Gadhafi to go, regime change is not the mission's purpose, Obama said.
The President politely made the contrast with the Iraq War as he reinforced his decision against using ground forces in Libya.
"To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq. Thanks to the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops and the determination of our diplomats, we are hopeful about Iraq’s future. But regime change there took eight years, thousands of American and Iraqi lives, and nearly a trillion dollars. That is not something we can afford to repeat in Libya," Obama said.
The President called on America's better angels to see that sometimes the greatest nation in the world is called to step up. Libya is one such case, especially as it threatened the stability of the fragile emerging democratic neighbors, Egypt and Tunisia.
"To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and -– more profoundly -– our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action," Obama said.
"Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free, we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way. Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States. Ultimately, it is that faith – those ideals – that are the true measure of American leadership."
You can watch the President's speech here.
"It’s true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what’s right," Obama said.
"So for those who doubted our capacity to carry out this operation, I want to be clear: the United States of America has done what we said we would do."
Obama framed his anticipated Libya speech tonight around the greatness of America and what separates it from others, with a genuine tip of the hat to the U.S. Armed Forces.
"I want to begin by paying tribute to our men and women in uniform who, once again, have acted with courage, professionalism and patriotism. They have moved with incredible speed and strength. Because of them and our dedicated diplomats, a coalition has been forged and countless lives have been saved," Obama said in his remarks at the National Defense University.
Obama said NATO will take over the mission Wednesday with the U.S. playing a support role, as promised. The U.S. will not increase its role and while it would be best for Gadhafi to go, regime change is not the mission's purpose, Obama said.
The President politely made the contrast with the Iraq War as he reinforced his decision against using ground forces in Libya.
"To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq. Thanks to the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops and the determination of our diplomats, we are hopeful about Iraq’s future. But regime change there took eight years, thousands of American and Iraqi lives, and nearly a trillion dollars. That is not something we can afford to repeat in Libya," Obama said.
The President called on America's better angels to see that sometimes the greatest nation in the world is called to step up. Libya is one such case, especially as it threatened the stability of the fragile emerging democratic neighbors, Egypt and Tunisia.
"To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and -– more profoundly -– our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action," Obama said.
"Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free, we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way. Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States. Ultimately, it is that faith – those ideals – that are the true measure of American leadership."
You can watch the President's speech here.
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