U.S. to ‘review assistance’ to Egypt

The United States will review its assistance to Egypt in the wake of police violence against democracy protesters.

“We will be reviewing our assistance posture based on events that take place in the coming days,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday, on the fourth day of protests in Egypt.

Egypt’s $1.3 billion in annual aid—most of it in defense assistance—is rooted in its 1979 peace treaty with Israel. Gibbs repeated calls on Egyptian authorities to end the violent crackdown and open up channels of information.

Gibbs would not directly answer a reporter at the briefing who asked whether President Obama “stands by” Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“This will be solved by the Egyptian people,” he said.

He said Obama had not spoken with Mubarak.