Middle East
9 September 2011 Last updated at 20:54 ET
Egyptian protesters break into Israeli embassy building
Protesters set fire to a police vehicle outside the building
Protesters have broken into the building housing Israel's embassy in Egypt's capital, Cairo, entering consular offices, officials said.
Police used tear gas and gunshots were heard nearby. Cairo airport officials said the ambassador was waiting for a flight out of the country.
US President Barack Obama urged Egypt to protect the embassy after Israel asked Washington for help.
The mission has seen protests amid a downturn in Egypt-Israel relations.
Late on Friday hundreds of protesters destroyed a wall around the embassy building before a group of about 30 broke in and threw documents out of windows.
Reuters news agency quoted an Israeli official in Jerusalem as saying that the documents appeared to be "pamphlets and forms kept at the foyer". Egypt's state media said some of the documents were marked confidential.
An Israeli official told the BBC the intruders had entered consular offices, but not the main embassy.
After initially standing by, police moved against the protesters, firing tear gas. Several vehicles were set alight.
Shots were heard in the area but it is not clear who fired them. There are reports a police station near the embassy was raided by protesters.
Egyptian state media said about 200 people had been injured in the unrest.
An Israeli official said documents thrown by protesters appeared to be pamphlets from the foyer
A statement from the office of Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said he had spoken with his US counterpart Leon Panetta and had "asked them to protect the embassy from the demonstrators".
President Obama appealed to Egypt to honour its international obligations and protect the embassy, the White House said in a statement.
Mr Obama had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said the US was taking steps to help resolve the situation without further violence, the statement added.
Officials at Cairo's airport said the Israeli ambassador, Yitzhak Levanon, his family and other embassy officials were at the airport waiting for a flight out of the country, news agencies reported.
Reuters said Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf had summoned his cabinet crisis team while the interior ministry put police forces on alert.
Peace treaty tested
There have been protests outside the embassy since the deaths on 18 August of five Egyptian policemen, allegedly at the hands of Israeli forces.
Egyptian officials say the five were killed as Israeli forces chased suspected militants across the border.
Gunmen had earlier that day attacked Israeli civilian buses near the Red Sea resort of Eilat, killing eight people.
Hundreds of Egyptians protested outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo the following night, burning the Israeli flag and demanding the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
Cairo called the policemen's death "unacceptable". Israel did not admit responsibility, but said the deaths were regretted. Israel's defence minister said he had ordered a joint inquiry to be held with the Egyptian army.
Correspondents say the incident marked a sharp escalation in tensions between Israel and Egypt. Their 30-year-old peace treaty was already being tested after the long-time Egyptian leader, Hosni Mubarak, was forced from office earlier this year.
Under Mr Mubarak, ties between the two nations had been stable after a history of conflict.
But his removal has sparked fears among Israeli officials that a less amenable government could take charge in Cairo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Topic: to JTFers: Don't be so glad Mubarak is out of the picture just yet (Read 427 times)