Egyptian Court ‘annuls’ handing over of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia

sinai tourists
STRINGER/AFP/Getty
Ali Waked

 JAFFA, Israel – The Egyptian government said on Thursday it would appeal a recently delivered Supreme Court ruling to annul it decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

Last April, while Saudi King Salman visited Egypt, President Abdel Fatah Sisi announced Cairo is relinquished claims to the disputed Islands of Tiran and Sanafir. The cabinet signed off on the decision, but this week the highest legal court in the country upheld the appeals submitted against it, and ruled that the islands must remain under Egyptian sovereignty.

Experts believe the state’s appeal will also be upheld and the islands will be handed over as planned, preventing an Egyptian-Saudi diplomatic crisis.

The ongoing debate did not spare social networks, where the hashtag #Tiran_Sanafir_Egyptian was launched.

“Tiran and Sanafir are Egyptian again, but when will Egypt lead the Arab world again?” wrote the commentator Anis Naqash. “Is that everybody’s hope?”

“It never will, so long as the Saudi dollar can buy loyalties,” Zena replied.
Mai wrote: “The state hastens to submit an urgent appeal, are these desperate traitors so keen to sell our country down the river?”
Noor wrote: “You land salesmen pressure the judges on the phone.”
“Giving up sovereignty indicates collapse and humiliation, not sovereignty,” Raafat wrote.
“Long live Egypt, long live the rule of law and justice, long live the judiciary,” Alnubi wrote.
Other twitterati took advantage of the discussion to give President Sisi a piece of their mind. However, Saudi users were more reserved, and suggested waiting until the court of appeals decides on the matter.

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