AFP, CAIRO: Egypt’s top administrative court upheld on Monday a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a deal that sparked protests.
The government had appealed against a lower court ruling in June that found the controversial border demarcation agreement was illegal.
The High Administrative Court’s ruling may further complicate ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, a main financial backer of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi since the former army chief toppled his Islamist predecessor in 2013.
Saudi Arabia has already signalled unease by stopping a promised flow of oil to Egypt, leaving Cairo scrambling to find a new supplier.
But relations have cooled over Egypt’s stance on Syria, which is seen as closer to Russia which backs President Bashar al-Assad than Saudi Arabia which supports rebels fighting him.
The courtroom erupted in cheers as the judge delivered the verdict, with lawyers and activists chanting: “These islands are Egyptian.”
The court said it was its “unanimous” decision that the two islands, Tiran and Sanafir, were sovereign Egyptian territories.
The ruling came after the government referred the agreement to parliament for a vote.