A number of members of parliament (MP) formed a campaign named ”Not their right” that calls on the parliament to reject the Egyptian-Saudi maritime demarcation agreement.
Over 100 MPs expressed rejection of cabinet’s approval of the agreement and sending it to the parliament for discussion. Among the opposing MPs are Hathiam El-Hariri, Mostafa El-Gendy, Nadia Henry, Samir Ghatas, and Amr Aboul Yazid.
The campaign was created by members of the 25-30 Alliance, which consists of most of parliament’s opposition members.
The MPs urged parliamentary speaker Ali Abdul Aal to reject the agreement and to not discuss it, adding that they will vote for the agreement to be annulled.
The campaign aimed at pressuring the parliament to reject the agreement that sought to transfer the sovereignty of Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia. It also called on other MPs to soon clarify their stances regarding the agreement.
A number of MPs posted photos taken inside the parliament showing them and their colleagues wearing badges that read ”Tiran and Sanafir are Egyptian” on their official Facebook pages. These photos have been widely circulated on social media.
The MPs believe that the parliament’s discussion on the agreement is unconstitutional, and that the government should wait until the judicial system resolves the issue since it is still disputed in courts.
MP Omar Al-Ashqar said that he rejects that agreement and also rejects its discussion in the parliament, as it will be a violation of the constitution if the parliament approves it, as the only one who can sign such an agreement is the president in accordance to Article 151 of the Constitution.
On the other hand, other MPs, including Mostafa Bakry, are pushing the parliament to start the discussion over the agreement, arguing that if it is proved that the islands do not belong to Saudi Arabia they will resign from the parliament.
Members of civil society have also escalated their actions against the cabinet’s decision to approve the agreement by forming a petition to be sent to the parliament. Over 3,000 signatures have been added to the agreement so far. A protest is also being arranged against the decision.
Last week, twelve people were arrested on charges of unlicensed protesting in a rally arranged against the agreement.
The cabinet approved the agreement on 29 December, and then forwarded it to the parliament for discussion.
