Egyptian gov't appeals ruling on transfer of two islands to Saudi Arabia

The Egyptian government on Wednesday appealed against the decision of an administrative court to cancel the handover of two uninhabited islands of the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia.

The government announced that it will provide documents and maps showing the transfer of the two islands to Saudi Arabia.

“The government used and will present all documents in its possession to show the validity and strength of its position before the Supreme Administrative Court which will decide in this case,” the government announced in a press release signed by Prime Minister Ismail Sharif.

The authorities will present a file containing the documents and maps that will help decide the case, it insisted.

On Tuesday, the Council of State annulled a demarcation agreement of maritime borders, signed in April with Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the visit of King Salman to Cairo who planned the handover of both the Tiran and Sanafir Red Sea islands.

Egyptian court overturns decision to 'gift' Red Sea islands to Saudi https://t.co/4cXWP7zBB0

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It insisted the islands, strategically located at the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba, “must remain in Egyptian territory and under the sovereignty of Egypt prohibiting any changes in their status.”

Since the announcement of the handover, Egyptian authorities kept repeating that these islands belong to Saudi Arabia of which they had requested its protection in Cairo in 1950.

The announcement of this controversial agreement sparked an outcry on social media and demonstrations against President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who had been barred from selling any state land.