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Israeli Arabs Condemn Egypt, Praise Israel

In a rare outburst of praise for the Jewish state they live in, and are often seen as second-class citizens in, Israeli Arab protestors - angry over Egypt`s handling of a fatal bus accident in the Sinai Peninsula last month - on Wednesday called on Cairo to learn from Israel the value of life. "Learn from Israel what human dignity means. Human dignity is a primary value in Israel," called out some 100 Arab protestors opposite the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv, according to Israeli newspapers.

Twelve Israeli Arab vacationers were killed, and many more wounded, when the tour bus overturned near the Sinai Peninsula town of Nuweiba on August 21. Some in Israel have accused the Egyptian driver of purposely causing the wreck, possibly as an act of attempted suicidal terrorism. The family members of several Israelis that were on the bus have threatened to take legal action against the Arab Republic of Egypt. Egyptian authorities repeatedly refused to allow Israeli rescue teams, gathered at the border, to enter Sinai and move the victims to Yoseftal Medical Center in nearby Eilat.

Witnesses, and victims of the accident, noted that local Egyptian authorities took more than 30 minutes to respond to the wreck, and when they finally did arrive, only one ambulance - with no paramedics - showed up. Many of the wounded were loaded on to passing trucks and then ferried to a medical center in Neweiba. Wednesday`s protestors in Tel Aviv were also infuriated with the light jail sentence given to the driver responsible for the accident. "12 killed, 12 months in jail - justice, Egypt-style," read several of the placards on display.