Egypt joins Turkey call to UN for arms embargo on Israel

CAIRO: Egypt joined a call led by Turkey and backed by dozens of countries, urging the United Nations to halt arms deliveries to Israel, citing concerns over their use.

The call came as Israel’s unrestrained battles in the Gaza Strip while also fighting a war against resistance group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A foreign ministry statement on Tuesday said Egypt joined the call as part of “international efforts to pressure Israel to cease its continuous violations of international law and international humanitarian law”.

It also aims to stop Israeli violations against Palestinians and protect civilians, the statement read.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon on Monday accused Turkey of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter signed by 52 countries calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994.

In 2020, the Abraham Accords, mediated by the United States, saw the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco recognise Israel.