Egyptian court upholds deal to transfer Red Sea islands to KSA

[Saif al-Arab]

Court upholds deal to transfer Red Sea islands​

Cairo court upholds lower court's verdict that annulled decision voiding territorial agreement with Saudi Arabia.

An Egyptian court has upheld an agreement to give control of two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia, providing a boost for the government.

The appeals court in Cairo upheld on Saturday a verdict by a lower court that annulled a ruling by the administrative court, which had said the agreement to hand over the islands was void, judicial sources said.

Last week, the Egyptian government approved the deal to hand over the islands and sent it to parliament for ratification, despite the legal dispute over the plan.

The territorial deal, announced in April, caused a public uproar among many Egyptians, who said the uninhabited islands of Tiran and Sanafir belonged to their country.

WATCH: Saudi Arabia, Egypt agree to build bridge over Red Sea (1:39)

The administrative court had said the agreement violated Egypt's constitution, which prohibits giving away any part of Egyptian territory to another country.

A more senior tribunal, the higher administrative court, is due to issue a verdict on January 16.

Tiran and Sanafir are in the narrow entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba leading to Jordan and Israel.

Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands belong to Saudi Arabia and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them.

Many Egyptians reject the government argument, accusing it of selling part of their homeland.

Lawyers who oppose the handover say Cairo's sovereignty over the islands dates to a 1906 treaty, before Saudi Arabia was founded.

Saudi Arabia has provided billions of dollars of aid to Egypt, but recently halted fuel shipments.

The territorial deal, announced in April, caused an uproar among many Egyptians [EPA]

Source: News agencies

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/...transfer-red-sea-islands-161231141145589.html

 

[Saif al-Arab]

So much fuss over 2 largely insignificant uninhabited islands. We already have almost 2500 islands. Our Red Sea coastline is also by far the longest and we have 1500 Red Sea islands already.

Why not built that bridge connecting KSA and Egypt instead? Ease trade between the two countries and invest in education, youth and sign real deals on every front (economic, military, science, health care) etc.

Instead those corrupt and incompetent donkeys are wasting the enormous potential of generations upon generations.

The sad story of the Arab and Muslim world largely.

@alarabi can you explain what this is all about, really, because I have lost track and I really don't see the point of any of this?

So Egypt is giving us two island that once belonged to us (or did not - nobody seems to know for sure) and in return we do what exactly? Waste more billions on Al-Sisi and questionable investments/loans in Egypt.

What is the strategy here exactly? I am ignorant on this front so please educate me if you know something about this.

One strange decision after the other.

 

[Valar Dohaeris]

Indeed well said. There is no vision among leadership of current Muslim world. Nobody seems like realizing the benefits in unity.

 

[somebozo]

Saudi Egypt are in for serious problems !
SiSi wants to treat KSA like his personal piggy bank!

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Indeed well said. There is no vision among leadership of current Muslim world. Nobody seems like realizing the benefits in unity.

I understand that every single country (its leadership) mostly cares about its own country first and foremost (as they should as they have an obligation to serve their country and citizens) but even the most sensible visions are lacking in the Muslim and Arab world.

In fact change my first statement to "caring about their positions in society and that of their family first and foremost" instead.

There is too much mistrust, senseless rivalry, corruption, paranoia, lack of ambition, lack of vision, hatred (often empty if you remove the facade) etc.

European nations learned that mutually beneficial cooperation is a necessity in order for peace and prosperity to rule supreme the hard way after they killed 100 million of each other during WW1 and WW2 alone. Let that number sink in for a few seconds.

If we had real visionary leaders who did not care about their thrones before anything else and leaders who were courageous, visionary, righteous, humble, etc. (had none of the ills that I mentioned before), the GCC alone for instance, could have accomplished so much more. Let alone other parts of the Muslim and Arab world.

Saudi Egypt are in for serious problems !
SiSi wants to treat KSA like his personal piggy bank!

Not going to happen however what is going on, I do honestly not know.

As for problems, do you really believe that overall small disagreements in regards to Syria (no, Egypt is not going to support any side militarily - Al-Sisi's main concern is MB-inspired groups in Syria who KSA also sees as a potential threat although KSA wants the downfall of the Al-Assad regime) will impact the brotherly and sisterly ties between two fellow Arab and neighboring countries whose ties transcend all walks of life (blood, language, culture, religion, ancient pre-Islamic and Islamic history, economy, KSA hosting the largest Egyptian diaspora in the world etc. to just name a few things)?

Not to say that KSA and Egypt will gain nothing from being hostile to each other let alone it being beneficent for both countries to have cordial ties and our region that we are both key components of.

 

[alarabi]

@alarabi can you explain what this is all about, really, because I have lost track and I really don't see the point of any of this?

So Egypt is giving us two island that once belonged to us (or did not - nobody seems to know for sure) and in return we do what exactly? Waste more billions on Al-Sisi and questionable investments/loans in Egypt.

What is the strategy here exactly? I am ignorant on this front so please educate me if you know something about this.

One strange decision after the other.

When king Salman visited Egypt, he cut about 20 deals with Sisi in which one of them was about the two uninhabited islands. If Sisi really thinks that the two islands belong to Egypt then he shouldn't sign the agreement in first place, but rather he signed it then he starts a silly game when he let a local or whatever court to appeal a political decision.
Unfortunately, the bridge probably won't be built if this issue still unsolved.
Egypt neither stands by Saudi Arabia in Syria nor it has significant role in Yemen which are the two issues in the region right now, yet Saudi pours tens of billions as investments or loans to Egypt.
Crux of the matter, there must be a little price this time and it happened to be the two uninhabited islands.
I don't know whether Sisi is trying to play the Pakistani game or he is trying resolve it by sending the the deal to the Parliament? cuz if he's doing to play the Pakistani game, then I think he's going to complicate the issue and that game isn't convincing anymore.

I hop Sisi solves what he started when he signed the agreement, so that we close that stupid case.

 

[dani958]

i didnt under stand why in the first place fcc give money to egypt what they eran from that?

 

[dani958]

what are you gain with giving egypt so much money?

 

[Saif al-Arab]

When king Salman visited Egypt, he cut about 20 deals with Sisi in which one of them was about the two uninhabited islands. If Sisi really thinks that the two islands belong to Egypt then he shouldn't sign the agreement in first place, but rather he signed it then he starts a silly game when he let a local or whatever court to appeal a political decision.
Unfortunately, the bridge probably won't be built if this issue still unsolved.
Egypt neither stands by Saudi Arabia in Syria nor it has significant role in Yemen which are the two issues in the region right now, yet Saudi pours tens of billions as investments or loans to Egypt.
Crux of the matter, there must be a little price this time and it happened to be the two uninhabited islands.
I don't know whether Sisi is trying to play the Pakistani game or he is trying resolve it by sending the the deal to the Parliament? cuz if he's doing to play the Pakistani game, then I think he's going to complicate the issue and that game isn't convincing anymore.

I hop Sisi solves what he started when he signed the agreement, so that we close that stupid case.

I agree. A deal is a deal.

I am more interested in whether those investments, deals signed and loans will be mutually beneficial. I cannot imagine this not being the case. However we all know that corruption and bureaucracy is a big problem in Egypt.

Would it not have been wise to have signed those deals, given those loans etc. after getting something useful in return? This reminds me a bit of the times during Mubarak's rule. All foreign investments into Egypt (Arab as non-Arab) mostly went to the elite in power and military. The Egyptian people got nothing in return.

Preferably Saudi Arabian businessmen, firms and the private sector should be investing in Egypt and doing direct interactions with the Egyptian people. As much as possible outside of the influence of the state although this is difficult in Egypt.

I do not care about Al-Sisi, Morsi or whoever is going to rule Egypt but our brothers and sisters in Egypt and the nation of Egypt.

When it comes to relationships between leaderships I of course would prefer cordial ties with almost everyone but it must be mutually beneficial cooperation.

So as you say, I struggle to see, what first King Abdullah's and afterwards King Salman's administration have gained from Egypt so far.

Which leads me to post 2 and 5 unfortunately.

Also the Egyptian media, which is with all due respect, one of the worst out there, does not help either with their nonsense.

Anyway we cannot expect transparency from either party, I am afraid.

what are you gain with giving egypt so much money?

Stop talking about issues that you do not know anything about. Also what do internal Arab matters concern you? Don't worry, it's not about Israel. Baba America has your back and the West so no need to worry. Concentrate on building illegal settlements in the West Bank.

 

[dani958]

I agree. A deal is a deal.

I am more interested in whether those investments, deals signed and loans will be mutually beneficial. I cannot imagine this not being the case. However we all know that corruption and bureaucracy is a big problem in Egypt.

Would it not have been wise to have signed those deals, given those loans etc. after getting something useful in return? This reminds me a bit of the times during Mubarak's rule. All foreign investments into Egypt (Arab as non-Arab) mostly went to the elite in power and military. The Egyptian people got nothing in return.

Preferably Saudi Arabian businessmen, firms and the private sector should be investing in Egypt and doing direct interactions with the Egyptian people. As much as possible outside of the influence of the state although this is difficult in Egypt.

I do not care about Al-Sisi, Morsi or whoever is going to rule Egypt but our brothers and sisters in Egypt and the nation of Egypt.

When it comes to relationships between leaderships I of course would prefer cordial ties with almost everyone but it must be mutually beneficial cooperation.

So as you say, I struggle to see, what first King Abdullah's and afterwards King Salman's administration have gained from Egypt so far.

Which leads me to post 2 and 5 unfortunately.

Also the Egyptian media, which is with all due respect, one of the worst out there, does not help either with their nonsense.

Anyway we cannot expect transparency from either party, I am afraid.



Stop talking about issues that you do not know anything about. Also what do internal Arab matters concern you? Don't worry, it's not about Israel. Baba America has your back and the West so no need to worry. Concentrate on illegal settlements in the West Bank.

You have the right to interfere in our internal affairs
So I have a right to express an opinion

 

[100]

Egyptian court rejects Red Sea islands' transfer to Saudi Arabia​

In final verdict, Egyptian court rules against government agreement to hand over Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia.

A top Egyptian court has issued a final ruling rejecting a government plan to transfer two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a deal that had provoked outrage among Egyptians and prompted rare protests.

Cheers broke out in the Cairo courtroom as the judge read out the verdict confirming Egyptian sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir and saying that the government had failed to provide evidence that the islands were Saudi.

The islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba control the narrow shipping lanes running north to the Red Sea port cities of Eilat and Aqaba, in Israel and Jordan.

The fate of the two islands has been at the heart of friction between Riyadh and Cairo over a string of regional issues, including Syria and Yemen.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/court-rejects-red-sea-islands-transfer-saudi-arabia-170116093431768.html

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

Egyptian court rejects Red Sea islands' transfer to Saudi Arabia​

In final verdict, Egyptian court rules against government agreement to hand over Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia.

A top Egyptian court has issued a final ruling rejecting a government plan to transfer two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a deal that had provoked outrage among Egyptians and prompted rare protests.

Cheers broke out in the Cairo courtroom as the judge read out the verdict confirming Egyptian sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir and saying that the government had failed to provide evidence that the islands were Saudi.

The islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba control the narrow shipping lanes running north to the Red Sea port cities of Eilat and Aqaba, in Israel and Jordan.

The fate of the two islands has been at the heart of friction between Riyadh and Cairo over a string of regional issues, including Syria and Yemen.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/court-rejects-red-sea-islands-transfer-saudi-arabia-170116093431768.html

Brilliant!

 

[100]

Egyptians celebrating the court decision which rejected transfer of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia

 

[T-Rex]

Egyptians celebrating the court decision which rejected transfer of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia

The moronic SA regime should join the celebrations. It's a great victory for them too.

 

[SOHEIL]