Political analyst criticizes dispute on Tiran, Sanafir islands

CAIRO - 12 June 2017: Political analyst and Manager of Bibliotheca Alexandria Mostafa al-Fikky confirms that it is inappropriate to doubt the patriotic identity of Egyptians who disagree about Egyptian possession of disputed islands Tiran and Sanafir, in a TV show aired on Extra News on Sunday.

Fikky added that the maritime border demarcation of the islands were first discussed in legal terms during the 1980’s, which resulted in appointing the islands on the map on the side of Saudi Arabia based on studies.

“Botros Ghaly, Samaan Farag, and myself we studied politics that included the Saudi possession of the islands and Saudi Arabia asked Egyptian authorities to safeguard the island during the Israeli conflict,” said Fikky.

Egypt safeguarded the islands for over 80 years, however was never able to use them for development projects due to the nature of their lands.

“The agreement of reassigning borders with Saudi Arabia also asserts that Israel will have a common border with gulf countries for the first time,” added Fikky.

During a parliament approval session held Sunday moning, it was decided that Egypt will preserve administrative control over the two islands while handing it over to Saudi Arabia as part of a controversial deal according to a government report.

The report was delivered to the Legislative Committee of the Parliament to prove Saudi possession of the two islands that are located at the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea, however will still remain under Egyptian control for security reasons.

“The agreement terminates only the part which concerns (Egyptian) sovereignty; it does not terminate the necessity and justification of Egypt’s protection of this region due to security reasons,” the report said.



Facts about Tiran and Sanafir