Why did Egypt close the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping in 1967?

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In May 1967, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping primarily to demonstrate his support for Syria and to reassert his leadership of the Arab cause.12

Leading up to this decision, Nasser had faced significant criticism for failing to aid Syria and Jordan against Israel and for relying on the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) stationed in the Sinai Peninsula for protection. To address this, he mobilized Egyptian forces in the Sinai on May 14, 1967, and subsequently requested the removal of the UNEF. On May 22, he closed the Gulf of Aqaba, effectively blockading the Israeli port city of Elat. This action was a major escalation that contributed to the outbreak of the Six-Day War in June 1967.12