US, Israel encouraged Egypt-Saudi island deal: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Hazem Salem, a political activist from Cairo, about a recent deal between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, under which Cairo accepted to give up the islands of Tiran and Sanafir.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you think about how Sisi handled this and what he did when he first heard it?

Salem: The fact is it looks like Saudi Arabia wanted to be engaged in the peace process, wanted to have borders with Israel. Saudi Arabia wanted to be engaged in some sort of arrangement for security in the Aqaba and the way to do that is to have these two islands, And thus, there would be an introduction of a new element to the arrangements of security.

And the Egyptian regime did not mind giving these two islands. If there were more of an intention by Egyptian to keep them, Egypt would have found some evidence and pretext to keep them, but the idea that Saudi Arabia wanted the two islands and Egypt was willing to give them and therefore, the agreement went very smoothly.

And it has been reported that it was a four-party consent agreement where the Saudis, the Egyptians as well as Israel and the United States were orchestrating and approving this move.

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