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The new head of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Ben Cardin blocked US $235 million military aid to Egypt citing human rights violations in the North African country. It may be recalled that Ben’s predecessor was indicted in a corruption case linked to Cairo
The new head of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Ben Cardin blocked US $235 million military aid to Egypt citing human rights violations in the North African country. It may be recalled that Ben’s predecessor was indicted in a corruption case linked to Cairo.
Senator Ben Cardin informed the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken that his blocking of funds would persist until specific progress on human rights is made. The Democratic senator is calling in particular for the release of some of the approximately 60,000 political prisoners in the country.
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The State Department last month approved US$1.215 billion in military aid to Egypt, notwithstanding concerns over human rights in Egypt. The US Administration often takes a lenient view of such things on supposedly friendly countries to protect national security interests. Egypt has been a major recipient of US military aid since its historic decision to become the first Arab state to normalize relations with Israel in 1980. Close to 60,000 people are under arrest mainly journalists and social activists in Egypt on charges for reportedly not toeing in line with the government.
