The court of Egypt on Tuesday rejected the transfer of islands Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia because of “unconstitutionality” of this border agreement. According to the latter, Egypt must transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has provided billions of dollars in aid to Egypt in recent years, and this border agreement regarding two islands should show the gratefulness of Egyptians for such a Saudi support. But rejecting the mentioned transfer of Egyptian uninhabited islands Tiran and Sanafir to Saudis was a rare rebuke of the government’s foreign policy by the judiciary.
In fact, an Egyptian foreign policy was aimed at the straining ties with Riyadh, whose many-billions support was really helpful for the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in recent years. However, uninhabited Tiran and Sanafir will stay under Egyptian jurisdiction.
In April, El-Sissi’s government, supported by loyal media, has defended border agreement, insisting on its economic benefits to Egypt. El-Sissi explained that two islands have always been part of Saudi Arabia, and Egyptians’ve started control them only in 1950 — as protection from Israel.
