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Egypt's Sisi welcomes UAE-Israel deal, halt to annexation of Palestinian lands

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrives at Buckingham Palace in London

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday welcomed a deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel on normalising ties that includes an Israeli agreement to halt further annexation of Palestinian lands.

"I followed with interest and appreciation the joint statement between the United States, United Arab Emirates and Israel to halt the Israeli annexation of Palestinian lands and taking steps to bring peace in the Middle East," Sisi said on Twitter.

"I value the efforts of those in charge of the deal to achieve prosperity and stability for our region."

Sisi also called Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan to congratulate him on the "historic peace step" undertaken by the UAE, according to an Egyptian presidency statement.

Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979, the first between Israel and an Arab country.

(Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Nadine Awadalla; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Grant McCool)