Following a request from the Egyptian government, Israel has announced that it will purchase parts of ancient coffins the Egyptians claimed were stolen from them back from Jerusalem-based antique dealers.

Attorney Yitzchak Meltzer, the lawyer for Israeli citizen Ouda Tarabin who has been in an Egyptian prison for nearly 12 years, has asked the Prime Minister to delay the delivery of the ancient coffins to Egypt until Tarabin is released.

“The Egyptians argue that the antiques were stolen and this act is returning something which was stolen,” Meltzer told Arutz Sheva on Thursday. “They stole almost 12 years of Ouda Tarabin’s life. Their demand to return the stolen antiques binds them as well.”