Egypt Gov’t to Challenge Court Block on Transfer of Two Islands to Saudis

The Egyptian government vowed Wednesday to challenge Egypt's State Council’s verdict to block a government decision to hand over two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Tuesday, the court judged that the agreement on maritime borders between Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed in April this year was invalid.

The Egyptian government refused to comment on the verdict but pledged to appeal the court’s decision, the Daily News Egypt newspaper reported.

The government also said that the State Lawsuit Authority (SLA) would argue that the State Council has no powers to issue verdicts on the case.

The cabinet also said it would present maps and other documents proving its position.

In April, the agreement between Cairo and Riyadh on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba triggered a week of mass rallies on the streets in central Cairo.

Some 400 people were arrested, dozens were sentenced to prison. However, later a court in Cairo overturned this ruling and the protesters were released.

Egypt has been in control of Tiran and Sanafir for over 60 years. The islands could be potentially used for constructing a bridge across the Red Sea, announced on April 8 by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.