Egyptian government appeals court block on Saudi islands deal

Egypt’s government said Wednesday it had lodged an appeal against a court decision to block the handover of two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.
The deal over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir was signed in April.
The country’s State Council ruled on Tuesday that the islands, strategically situated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, must remain under Egyptian sovereignty.
“The government will present all the documents it has to demonstrate the integrity and strength of the case it presented to the Supreme Administrative Court which has the right to rule on the case,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement Wednesday.
“It will also present a dossier containing documents and maps that will assist in resolving the case.”
The government argues that the islands — which can be used to control access to the Israeli port of Eilat — have always been Saudi territory but were leased to Cairo in 1950 following a request by Riyadh.
It says the deal to transfer them was based on a decree by since-ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Cairo says Mubarak had even informed the UN about the matter in 1990.

Source ; Arab News