WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Friday called on Egypt to protect Israel's embassy from demonstrators in Cairo, as he spoke by telephone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, officials said.

Obama expressed “great concern” over the incident and an explained step Washington was taking in response, including a call on Egypt “to honor its international obligations to safeguard the security of the Israeli Embassy.”

The President expressed his great concern about the situation at the Embassy, and the security of the Israelis serving there,” a White House statement said.

“The President and the Prime Minister agreed to stay in close touch until the situation is resolved.”

Egyptian protesters earlier tore down a security wall outside the embassy before one of them scaled the high-rise building and tore down its flag.

Thousands of pro-reform protesters had massed in Tahrir Square, the epicentre of an uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February, to demand reforms and an end to military trials of civilians.

After listening to the weekly Muslim prayer at which they were told it is shameful for Egyptians to “forget their revolution,” about 1,000 of them broke off and marched to the Israeli embassy several kilometres (miles) away.