CAIRO, Dec 27: About 2,000 angry Egyptians demonstrated in Cairo against Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip, accusing President Hosni Mubarak of being an accomplice.

“Mubarak and (Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi) Livni have agreed on the genocide of the Palestinian people,” read one banner. “Mubarak is an accomplice in attacks against the Palestinian people,” read another.

Livni met with Mubarak in Cairo on Thursday and said Israel would strike back at the Hamas rulers of Gaza after a sharp escalation of violence in the Palestinian territory dashed hopes of a new Egyptian-mediated truce.

“Down, down Hosni Mubarak,” the crowd chanted, calling for the Israeli ambassador to Cairo to be expelled and the embassy closed down.

“Palestine is Arab, whatever Zionism does,” they chanted, brandishing photos of Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit arm-in-arm with Livni.

The large crowd from almost all Egyptian opposition parties was surrounded by hundreds of riot police.

Mehdi Akef, the supreme guide of Egypt’s largest opposition group the Muslim Brotherhood, also attended the demonstration in downtown Cairo.

Egypt, one of only two Arab states to have signed a peace deal with Israel, has summoned ambassador Shalom Cohen to call for an end to the bombardment by dozens of Israeli aircraft that has left hundreds wounded.

Abul Gheit earlier called for an immediate end to the strikes, saying: “We cannot permit the murder of Palestinians.”—AFP