General Amr Moussa Friday called for calm in the World Cup football row between Algeria and Egypt that has sparked clashes and a diplomatic spat. Protesters hurled stones and firebombs at police near the Algerian embassy in Cairo Friday, wounding 11 officers as anger mounted over attacks on Egyptians after the countries' World Cup qualifier. The interior ministry said 35 people, including 11 police, were hurt and 15 cars were damaged in the violence. “I call for a return to calm and reason on the Arab street. The affair must be restored to its true proportions, after all the Egyptians like the Algerians are Arabs,” he said. “What has happened is deplorable. This outburst of anger in these two great Arab countries must stop,” said Moussa, who was in Dubai for a forum organized by the World Economic Conference. Protesters smashed cars and shop windows, and ransacked a nearby gas station, leaving behind shattered glass and garbage strewn across the streets. Algeria had won Wednesday's match, played in Sudanese capital Khartoum, with 1-0 to advance to the 2010 World Cup. The game was a playoff after Egypt won on Saturday in Cairo 2-0. It was Algeria's first World Cup ticket since 1986. Following Algeria's win in Khartoum Wednesday, Egyptian fans were attacked in the Sudanese capital. On Thursday, Egypt's Foreign Ministry summoned Algeria's ambassador in Cairo to express “extreme dismay” over the attacks. Egypt's ambassador in Algiers, Abdul-Aziz Seif Al-Nasr, was instructed to return to Egypt for consultations, a ministry statement said. Meanwhile, President Hosni Mubarak's low-profile son Alaa made an unusual statement, saying Egypt should “take a stance” and respond to the “terror, hostility” and mistreatment of Egyptians by the Algerians. Speaking on an Egyptian satellite television station, businessman Alaa Mubarak – who unlike his politically prominent younger brother Gamal rarely speaks publicly – said the tensions reveal Algeria's “grudge and ill-will” toward Egypt. “It is impossible that we as Egyptians take this, we have to stand up and say ‘enough,”' said Alaa, who had traveled to Khartoum for Wednesday's game. “There should be a stance, we have had enough.” “When you insult my dignity ... I will beat you on the head,” added the younger Mubarak.
