Lawsuits demand closing the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv

Damanhour's court of urgent affairs will study on February 23 a lawsuit presented by the lawyer Mostafa Arslan against Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa in which he asked Moussa to withdraw the Egyptian ambassador in Israel, Mohamed Basiouni, and close the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv.

Arslan said Israeli belly dancer Nitizana Rioshani has filed a new complaint in the Israeli courts against the Egyptian ambassador, in which she asked for financial compensation worth $290,000 dollars, claiming that Basiouni sexually molested her in an Israeli physician's apartment.

He added that the Israeli court closed this case in last October because of a lack of evidence, but the belly dancer has renewed her complaint by asking financial compensation. Arslem described this complaint as an attempt to blackmail the ambassador and defame his and Egypt's reputation.

He said also that the belly dancer's statements hurt the ambassador's feelings.