Why has Egypt suddenly given away the islands of Tiran and Sanafir?
Around the world, there are many disputes over the ownership of islands – for instance, look at the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Countries that currently own these islands fiercely resist the claims of other states.
Yet recently Egypt – or at least its dictatorial leader – suddenly gave to Saudi Arabia the disputed islands of Tiran and Sanafir. The decision was made by Egyptian president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi during a rare visit by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, during which the Saudi king announced plans for aid and investment in Egypt.
Ownership of the uninhabited islands, which sit in the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, has long been disputed, with both Cairo and Riyadh claiming them, although they were under Egyptian control.
The islands, which once-formed the border between the Ottoman Empire and British-controlled Egypt, are considered strategically important because they lie on the important sea route to the Jordanian port of Aqaba and the Israeli port of Eilat.
The islands were occupied by Israel in 1967 during the Six Day War, before being handed back to Egyptian control in 1982 when the two sides signed the Camp David peace accords.
In 2010, Egypt and Saudi Arabia began formally discussing the drawing of their maritime borders, including the ownership of the two islands.
The handover of the islands has been widely condemned by opposition groups in Egypt and 101 people have been jailed for five years and a further 51 have been sentenced to two years in prison for protesting peacefully against the decision.