Prominent Egyptian journalist: "Mursi Expected to Close Israeli Embassy Instead of Cutting Ties with Syria"

Prominent Egyptian journalist: "Mursi Expected to Close Israeli Embassy Instead of Cutting Ties with Syria".(Fars).

A prominent Egyptian journalist expressed regret over President Mohammad Mursi's decision to close the Syrian embassy in Cairo, and said Mursi was expected to shut down the Israeli mission as the enemy of the Muslim world, instead.

"Mursi's remarks at a conference dubbed 'Support for Syria' in Cairo means declaring war on the Syrian government," Menni al-Shazali was quoted as saying by al-Youm al-Sabe' news website on Sunday.

"The president talked about closing the Syrian embassy while all of us thought that he would decide to shut down the Israeli mission," she added.

Mursi announced on Saturday the end of diplomatic ties with the Syrian government led by Bashar Al-Asaad.

"We have decided to close down the Syrian embassy in Cairo," he said, adding, "We also intend to recall Egypt's charge d'affaires (from Damascus)."

His remarks came after a former advisor to the Egyptian president called for the immediate expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Cairo as part of Egypt's reaction to the recent Israeli airstrike on Damascus.

Mohammed Esmat Seif al-Dewla, former advisor to Mursi, condemned Israel's attack against Syria in May, and called on Cairo and other Arab states to review their ties with Israel, cautioning that "Tel Aviv has violated all red lines".

"There is no difference between Gaza and Syria and both of them are part of the Arab land. As we stated during the (Israeli) onslaught on Gaza that Gaza is not alone, we say today that Syria, as a brotherly country and nation, is not alone in its confrontation with Israel," he told Egyptian Al-Tahrir TV network.Read the full story here.