Anger Erupts on Social Media After Egypt Approves Transfer of Islands to Saudi Control

cell phone saudi arabia social media
AP/Hassan Ammar
Ali Waked

TEL AVIV — The Egyptian parliament on Wednesday approved the transfer of the islands Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi control, prompting some in Egypt to respond with anger.

Social media users who oppose Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi used the vote in parliament to criticize the president and his regime by accusing him of selling off Egyptian assets on the cheap.

Wael Kandil wrote on Twitter, “Anyone who thinks that the plenary parliament ‘in the Sissi-adic kingdom’ will vote against giving Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia is either stupid or a crook.”

Aya Khamis attacked the Egyptian president, writing, “It’s a good thing Egypt is his father’s farm, so it gives up its land, may God take revenge on you and humiliate you.”

Another social media user referred to the testimony given by military leaders before the parliamentary committee who said that the islands are not Egyptian and the army never fought on them. The user wrote, “I ask that everyone who sees an army officer in the street spit in his face and yell ‘you are the ones selling the land.'”

Emad Gad wrote, “Do you imagine that the people stand against the parliament and against the government from a commitment to their land and a refusal to give it up? How will we tell this to our children?”

Another social media user named Khaled Swida wrote, “Sissi really is a traitor. For this, he not only needs to go, he needs to be tried in court.”

One Twitter user wrote, “An army representative said during a debate: Not a single drop of blood was dropped in Tiran and Sanafir. I wish your blood would be spilled as if it was a river. Traitors!”

Ahmed Said criticized the army representatives for their position and wrote, “The payment (to military personnel) for selling Tiran and Sanafir is being performed. Sissi’s parliament approved a pay raise of 15% for military personnel.”

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