1st LD: Egypt court confirms null and void islands transfer to Saudi

Egypt's Administrative Court on Tuesday confirmed null and void the transfer of the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, official news agency MENA reported.

The court ruled that the government should abide by its previous verdict not to place the two islands in the Saudi waters.

The final verdict on the government's appeal will be announced on Dec. 5.

On April 12, Egypt's Cabinet announced that the joint Egyptian-Saudi technical maritime border drawing showed that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir fall within the Saudi waters.

The agreement provoked an immediate backlash in Egypt, with hundreds of people protesting against "selling the islands."

In late April, the Administrative Court ruled that, "all rights of the two islands to Saudi Arabia is null and void." The State Lawsuits Authority, the body representing the government in legal cases, then appealed on the decision.

On June 26, the administrative court postponed the session for the government's second appeal against the ruling nullifying the deal.

The islands, which has a strategic significance in the area, are currently inhabited only by military personnel from Egypt as well as the multinational force and observers.

Tuesday's court decision came while Saudi Arabia has informed Egypt on Monday that shipments of oil products of 23 billion U.S. aid deal have been halted indefinitely. Endit