Israel approves deal to transfer Egyptian Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, report says

Israel on Thursday authorized the define of a deal that will cede management of two strategic Crimson Sea islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, probably paving the best way for Riyadh to take steps in the direction of normalising relations with Israel.

Israeli officers instructed Axios that they had given the inexperienced gentle for the Tiran and Sanafir islands deal to the US on Thursday. The parameters of the deal over the 2 islands had been authorized by the Israeli prime minister’s workplace, in addition to the overseas and defence ministries, the Israeli officers stated.

Tiran and Sanafir, mendacity on the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba, had been on account of be transferred from Egyptian management to Saudi Arabia in 2018, however the deal required Israel’s sign-off as a result of 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty – which required worldwide observers to be stationed on the strategic islands. Riyadh, nevertheless, needed to the observers to depart.

The brand new settlement would see them moved to new positions on Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, in addition to the set up of cameras to watch exercise on the islands and throughout the Strait of Tiran, the officers stated.

The officers added that the steps had been anticipated to be introduced throughout President Biden’s go to to Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

The deal, which the US has been quietly negotiating for months and was beforehand reported in June, can even permit for a separate settlement with Saudi Arabia to permit Israeli airways to make use of its air house for eastbound flights to India and China.

It could additionally permit direct constitution flights from Israel to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrims who need to go to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. At present, solely Israeli flights to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain can fly over the dominion, in addition to Air India flights to and from Israel.

Axios reported that as part of the deal, Saudi Arabia will pledge to the US that it’s going to preserve freedom of navigation within the Strait of Tiran for Israeli ships. In the meantime, the US will give Israel safety ensures about maritime freedom based mostly on the Saudi commitments.

The Tiran and Sanafir islands – strategically situated on the sea passage to the ports of Aqaba in Jordan and Eilat in Israel – had been occupied by Israel in 1967 throughout the Six Day Battle, earlier than being handed again to Egyptian management in 1982, 4 years after the 2 sides signed the Camp David peace accords.

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Saudi Arabia has lengthy claimed possession of the islands and Egypt has administered them since 1950 for defense on the request of Riyadh. 

In 2017, Egypt’s Supreme Courtroom authorized a deal between the 2 international locations that ceded the islands to Saudi Arabia regardless of public anger in opposition to the transfer. 

Throughout a information convention on Thursday with Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, US President Joe Biden stated he was “optimistic” about normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The US president is travelling to Saudi Arabia on Friday, the place he’ll attend a regional summit of Arab leaders within the Saudi Arabian port metropolis of Jeddah.

Saudi Arabian officers have lately spoken about probably normalising ties with Israel, however insist the nation is not going to transfer ahead till progress has been made on addressing Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory.