Egyptian lawmaker hails decision to cut off ties with Qatar

Speaking to the privately-run newspaper El-Youm El-Sabaa (Youm7), Tareq Radwan, the Undersecretary of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, accused Doha of supporting terrorist groups and interfering in the domestic affairs of Arab countries, particularly Egypt.

Radwan expects the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and other international organizations to hand down more sanctions on Qatar in the coming period.

The list of boycotting countries is expected to widen to include 12 or 14 more Arab countries, Radwan said.

After rising tensions, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt have broken diplomatic ties with Qatar and cut off air, sea and land access to the country over Doha’s support for terrorist groups aiming to destabilize the region.

Etihad Airways and Emirates said they would suspend all flights to and from Qatar starting on Tuesday, June 6. The UAE statement also said its airspace and territorial waters would be closed for Qatari vessels and aircraft.