Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi bestows King Salman of Saudi Arabia with the Order of the Nile medal, Egypt's highest state honor, during their meeting in Cairo.
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Saudi Arabia's King Salman's five-day visit to Egypt was supposed to bring welcome news for the Egyptians. After all, the visit involved specific goals, which according to Saudi newspapers, included signing of more than a dozen agreements for Saudi investments in Egypt. During the visit, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to set up an investment fund worth $22 billion, and a additional package for the Sinai Development Project.
But by Saturday, Egyptians had lost it after it was clear that Egypt was going to thank Saudi Arabia by giving it the control of Tiran and Sanafir Islands, the Egyptian-administered territories on the Red Sea that is also claimed by Saudi Arabia. The islands are of strategic importance because of their location on the sea passage on the Gulf of Aqaba, leading to major ports in Jordan and Israel. The Egyptian cabinet, in its decision, suggested that in handing over the islands, Egypt was simply handing over the territory to its rightful owner.
The decision was made public the day after Saudi King Salman announced that his kingdom would build a bridge on the Red Sea, which would boost trade between the two countries. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi said the bridge would be named after the Saudi king.
Tiran and Sanafir islands are strategically located on the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Google Maps / Via maps.google.com
News about the deal has angered Egyptians on social media, who say Egyptian president is selling the island for promises of Saudi investment.
Popular Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef tweeted:
Some Egyptians used the hashtag, #عواد_باع_ارض, which means "Awaad sold his land," a reference to an Egyptian character in a radio drama from the 60s, who sold his family's land and brought them shame.
Duraid Lahham, an Arab actor, tweeted:
Amr Abd-Had, a lawyer and member of 2012 constitution committee, tweeted:
Mamdouh Hamza, a prominent engineer based in Cairo, tweeted:
Saudi Arabia's latest investment in Egypt comes less than three years after the military takeover in 2013, when the country gave Egypt a $12 billion aid package just as it was struggling from an ailing economy.
After news about the handing over of the two islands became public, Saudis expressed jubilation — and sarcasm — on social media, many making remarks about how their country would buy the pyramids next.
Some Egyptians have described the deal as "treason" and gathered to protest in Tahrir Square on Sunday. Since then, a campaign called "The Land is the Honor" has started on Facebook, where more than 11,000 people have RSVP'ed to participate in a bigger protest called for next Friday.
Another campaign has started collecting signatures to send it the Egyptian parliament, expressing disappointment in the government's decision. Khaled Ali, a prominent lawyer and former presidential candidate, told BuzzFeed News that that he had filed a lawsuit against the country's president and the prime minister for giving away the two islands. "This is not a personal case," he wrote on his Facebook page, as he called on the public to join him.
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