Former Egyptian ambassador to Israel dies

CAIRO, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Former Egyptian Ambassador to Israel Mohammed Bassiouni has died. He was 74.

Bassiouni's son Hatem said his father died in his home early Sunday, al-Masry al-Youm reported.

The man served as Egypt's ambassador in Tel Aviv for 18 years, making him Egypt's longest-serving ambassador to Israel.

Bassiouni served as ambassador until 2000 when he was summoned back to Egypt to protest Israeli actions during the second Palestinian intifada.

After returning to Egypt, he was appointed vice chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The former ambassador joined the army in 1950 after serving in Egypt's military intelligence service. In 1973, he was appointed military attache to the Egyptian Embassy in Damascus. While in Damascus, Bassiouni took part in the joint Egyptian-Syrian attack against Israel.

Bassiouni was a leading defender of former President Hosni Mubarak's policies and peace treaties with Israel.