Egypt's legislature thumbs nose at court, approves islands deal
Egypt’s parliament shoved through approval of a deal to transfer Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia, but experts say the move violates the constitution and is likely to fuel public resentment.
![EGYPT-SAUDI/ISLANDS Protesters shout slogans and hold a banner that reads in Arabic 'two Red Sea islands are Egyptian', against a deal that sees Egypt cede sovereignty over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia currently being debated in parliament in downtown Cairo, Egypt June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany - RTS16WQH](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2017/06/RTS16WQH.jpg/RTS16WQH.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=zRC3Wfy4)
CAIRO — Egypt's parliament quickly gave its blessing to a controversial maritime demarcation agreement under which Egypt is to transfer sovereignty over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia. But some parliamentarians, legal experts and citizens are saying, “Not so fast.”
One legislator resigned from parliament in protest, and a political science expert predicts that consummating the turnover would cause the political system to buckle. Police arrested eight people, including three journalists, from among dozens of people at a demonstration the night before the vote.