Israel apologized to Egypt Saturday for killing three Egyptian soldiers during a cross-border clash with Palestinian militants, hours after Cairo threatened to withdraw its ambassador to protest the killings.
Israel, Gaza, and Egypt were embroiled in a series of tit-for-tat attacks in the past couple of days, and Israel suspected Gaza militants of having crossed through the Egyptian Sinai ultimately leading to the death of Egyptian soldier from Israeli attacks, although details of the incident are still unclear.
“Israel deeply regrets the deaths of the Egyptian officers,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement after Egypt threatened to recall its ambassador. The Egyptian government announced it had pulled the envoy, but later backtracked and issued a new statement saying it was only considering the move.
Late Saturday, Palestinians in Gaza reportedly launched about 70 rockets at southern Israel, killing one Israeli and wounding dozens. This came after the Gazan death toll from Israel’s airstrikes responding to the initial bus attack reached 14. The events threatened to push another full scale conflict.
The violence is testing Israel’s 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, already strained by the fall of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak and the prospect of a more democratic Egypt. They also are an unfortunate precursor to the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehood coming up next month, which the U.S. is expected to veto.
The headline is completely wrong..and John Glaser is providing disinformation.
Israel did not apologize….Barak expressed regret. Anybody who follows ME/Israeli politics would know that an acutal apology from Israel….well….pigs will fly before that happens!
It would seem that "deeply regrets" is not usually considered an apology, Israel has been ready for a long while to "deeply regret" the death of the 9 Turkish passengers, which Turkey does not consider an apology.
Isn't it typical of AP propagandists to act as Israeli apologists? In this case they upgrade "deeply regrets" into an apology. Israel hardly ever apologizes but it frequently issues "regrets" while blaming victims of Israeli violence.
'Deeply Regret' is what Jurgen Stroop thought about the Ghetto, later. But he always thought it was necessary, under the circumstances.
The 'circumstances' are what the Israelis will be 'looking into' (no Egytians need appear). And circumstance #1 is the ever-present "existential threat".
Gaza reportedly launched about 70 rockets –who reported it?
Johnny Boy Glaser,I got some cheap ocean backing property to sell in Idaho.give me a call — — —- ask for Big Dealer
Egypt and Turkey are civilized enough to ask for an apology. Israel would have bombed half of Ankara or Cairo in the blink of an eye, if it were Israelis killed.