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Egypt recalls ambassador to Israel in wake of fresh violence
CAIRO, Egypt (CNN)-- In a major diplomatic move, Egypt on Tuesday recalled its ambassador to Israel. Egyptian authorities said the recall was in protest to what they say is Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the ongoing Middle East conflict. The move is significant because Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel. It has promoted peace efforts with Israeli officials and tried to act as a broker between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to smooth relations.
Ambassador Mohammed Bassiouni, called back by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, was expected to meet with authorities in Cairo, the capital. It was unclear what Egypt's next move would be. As violence has increased in recent weeks between Israelis and Palestinians, Egypt quietly has begun allowing demonstrations against Israel. Such displays are officially prohibited. During an Arab summit in October, leaders agreed to re-evaluate ties with Israel if the violence didn't stop. While Egypt has condemned Israel for the ongoing clashes with Palestinians, the withdrawal of its ambassador is its strongest sign of disapproval so far. The move comes hours after Israeli helicopter gunships fired rockets in Gaza, killing one person and wounding at least 120 . Gaza hospital officials said Tuesday that 40 children were among those injured when least two dozen missiles hit Palestinian targets. The Monday air strikes followed an attack earlier in the day on an armored school bus that killed two Jewish settlers. Nearly half of Gaza City's approximately 1 million residents were without electricity shortly after the attack. The only light visible in much of the city was from the missiles, shot from at least three Israeli helicopter gunships at 12 Palestinian targets. Targets were hit near Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's seaside office, the headquarters of his Fatah faction and an office of a Palestinian preventive security service, which was demolished by at least six missiles, CNN Correspondent Tom Mintier reported. CNN Correspondent Rula Amin reported that a building housing a Palestinian radio station near the border with Israel also was hit. Rocket strikes a 'serious escalation'The head of Palestinian Preventive Security called the retaliatory strike a serious escalation of the conflict on the part of the Israeli government. Three obscure groups claimed responsibility for the school bus attack near this settlement. In addition to killing two Jewish settlers, nine other people, including five children, were injured. The bus, which had a military escort, was attacked as it traveled along a road under Israeli security control that forms a corridor through Palestinian territory. A Palestinian Authority spokesman denied responsibility for the bus attack, which came 48 hours after Arafat called for an end to attacks against Israeli targets from areas under full Palestinian control. During the retaliatory strike, a Palestinian spokesman called for the United States to intervene to try to stop the Israeli attack, which he blamed on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Palestinian spokesman calls for U.N. peacekeepers"This proves our point again that Mr. Barak is really taking us and taking Israelis and taking the whole region down the drain," Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erakat told CNN. He called on U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan and others in the international community to send peacekeeping forces to the region. "I think the international community must gather its resolve now to stop this madness by the Israeli government," he said. A spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force said a 120 mm mortar shell was used in the bus attack, possibly detonated by the means of attached wires. The IDF spokesman said three Palestinians were seen fleeing the area shortly after the attack. The road had been surveyed for explosive devices early in the morning. Barak called an emergency meeting of his security Cabinet. Since the latest cycle of violence broke out September 28, more than 250 people have been killed, the vast majority of them Palestinians. Correspondent James Martone contributed to this report. RELATED STORIES: Israel launches helicopter gun ship strikes in Gaza after bus attack RELATED SITES: The Jerusalem aa Web site | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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