'Israel envoy leaves Egypt after protest'


A file photo shows Israeli Ambassador to Egypt Yitzhak Levanon
Israel's ambassador to Cairo has reportedly left Egypt days after over a million Egyptian protesters called for his expulsion and an end to the plight of the Palestinians.


Yitzhak Levanon would be in Tel Aviv for the next couple of days, reports said, giving no details about the reason behind the envoy's departure.

The reported departure comes days after massive crowds of demonstrators gathered in Cairo's Liberation Square on April 8, urging the country to cease its cooperation with the crippling Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, in place since mid-June 2007.

In a separate demonstration, Egyptian protesters rallied outside the Israeli Embassy in the capital, Cairo, where they set fire to the Israeli flag.

On both occasions the demonstrators called on Cairo to issue Levanon the boot order.

The Egyptians launched a revolution against the pro-Israeli regime in January, which eventually put an end to the 30-year-long rule of President Hosni Mubarak.

During the protests, Tel Aviv allowed Cairo to deploy Egyptian troops to the Sinai Peninsula, despite the area only being open to Egypt's police forces in line with a bilateral peace accord.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the new Egyptian government could become hostile towards Tel Aviv, saying he is “especially concerned” over remarks made by Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi.

The Egyptian statesman, along with other senior officials, has reportedly called Israel Egypt's "enemy."

Commenting on the possibility of economic ties with Tel Aviv, Egypt's Finance Minister Samir Radwan has also stressed that Cairo does not need investments from "the enemy."

HN/MRS/MGH