Israeli PM Says Ties With Egypt Must Be Preserved

Israel's prime minister says his country's 3-decade-old peace agreement with Egypt must be preserved.

It's Benjamin Netanyahu's first public statement on the political turmoil affecting Israel's neighbor and ally. The Israeli leader says his "objective is to ensure that these ties be preserved."

Israeli officials have been publicly silent as protests in Egypt have destabilized the autocratic regime of President Hosni Mubarak. Crowds calling for Mubarak's resignation have clashed with police and torched government buildings.

Israel signed a peace agreement with Mubarak's predecessor in 1979. Before that, the two countries had fought four wars in three decades.

Ties have been cool but stable, allowing Israel to scale back its armed forces.