Report: PM envoy helped secure Islands deal from Egypt to Saudi Arabia
Egyptian news channel publishes taped conversations that allegedly took place between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special envoy Yitzhak Molcho; the two can allegedly heard coordinating deal to transfer ownership of islands Sanafir and Tiran islands, who used to be under Israeli rule, from Egypt to Saudi Arabia.
Egyptian news network Mekameleen TV reported Friday that Israel and Egypt worked together to transfer the ownership of two islands in the Red Sea. In a recording offered by the network, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry can allegedly be heard hammering speaking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special envoy Yitzhak Molcho. The network is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, and the publication of the recording is considered to be and attempt to embarrass Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
It is unclear when the alleged conversation—in which only Shoukry's side can be heard—took place, but it is placed after Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's visit to Cairo, in April 2016. In the recording Shoukry refers to an ongoing correspondence between the relevant parties, in which Israel allegedly gave its approval of the deal. Shoukry calls Molcho "Itzik" and says that "It's a pleasure doing business with you."
Shoukry can also allegedly be heard telling Molcho, that he will agree to Molcho's suggestion, that Egypt will not move allow any changes to be made to the deal with Saudi Arabia without Israel's consent. The deal also apparently included an outline of the maritime border between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Several days after the agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia was signed, former Defense minister Moshe Ya'alon confirmed that Israel signed off on the island's ownership transfer, and that following the deal Israel's peace treaty with Egypt was updated to acknowledge the transfer of the two islands, located some 200km from the southern city of Eilat. Israel had also agreed to have a bridge built connecting the area to the mainland. The US had also signed off on the changes to the peace treaty between and Israel.
In April 2016, the Egyptian government announced that the two islands belong to Saudi Arabia, as part of a redrawing of the two countries' maritime border, which was agreed upon as part of a larger, multi-billion dollar free trade agreement.
However, an Egyptian court ruled two months later that the agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia was not valid. The deal also struck a chord with the Egyptian public, who came out en masse to protest the transfer of ownership of the two islands. Egyptian el-Sisi offered the public his own explanation, saying that the islands did not belong to Egypt in the first place, but to Saudi Arabia. The deal is slated to be discussed in the Egyptian parliament, but at present it is not moving forward.
