First in 67 Years: Egypt Supports Israeli UN Bid

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Egypt made history this week, supporting Israel's bid for membership in the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Affairs at the United Nations.

It was the first time Egypt voted in support of Israel since it backed the 1948 U.N. vote establishing the Jewish nation.

The vote passed by a wide margin, with 117 member states in favor; 21 abstentions, among them Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Qatar, and Kuwait; and Namibia the only country opposing the Israeli bid.

"The vote today proves there are some countries who find it more important to bash Israel than to contribute to the international community, like Qatar who abstained on the vote even though it was a vote on its own acceptance to the committee," the Israeli Mission to the United Nations said in a statement.

In September, Egyptian President Fattah Abdel el-Sisi called on more Arab countries to make peace with Israel, saying the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel has held for nearly four decades despite doubters.