Egypt opposition MP: Resigning over island transfer 'no longer useful'

Nadia Henry, a member of Egypt’s opposition 25-30 bloc in parliament, tells Al-Monitor that the opposition will continue to fight the transfer of Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia, and that a larger opposition coalition could be created.
An Egyptian woman celebrates with a national flag defaced with the words "Tiran" and "Sanafir" after the High Administrative Court upheld on January 16, 2017 a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia in a deal that had sparked protests in Egypt. / AFP / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED (Photo credit should read MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images)
An Egyptian woman celebrates with a national flag defaced with the words "Tiran" and "Sanafir" after the High Administrative Court upheld a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over the two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 16, 2017. - MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images
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Rania Rabeaa Elabd
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CAIRO — After the Egyptian parliament approved an agreement on June 14 to transfer ownership of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, member of parliament Nadia Henry and her colleagues in the leftist 25-30 bloc threatened to resign. Now, in an interview with Al-Monitor at the Egyptian parliament in Cairo, she says that she and her colleagues believe their resignation from parliament is no longer useful. 

Henry, who joined the leftist 25-30 bloc after resigning from the Free Egyptians Party in August 2016 over infighting within the party, says that instead of resigning, a larger opposition coalition will be formed and will include more than a hundred members of parliament.

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