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Article snippet: CAIRO — President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Saudi Arabia, brushing off widespread public criticism of the deal in Egypt. The Red Sea islands accord has become politically sensitive for Mr. Sisi. He counts on Saudi Arabia as a critical ally, but street protests erupted last year among Egyptians angered by the agreement. This month, Egypt’s Parliament backed the deal, which gives Saudi Arabia control of the islands, Tiran and Sanafir. “President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has ratified the maritime demarcation agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement. The announcement was made as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ended and on the eve of Eid al-Fitr festivities, a major public holiday when Egyptians are busy preparing to spend time with their families. The president’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rafiq Sharif, a lawyer for the government, said that the decree was now law and that the two islands were under Saudi sovereignty. Mr. Sisi’s government announced the maritime agreement last year with Saudi Arabia, an ally that has given billions of dollars of aid to Egypt. The Egyptian and Saudi governments said the islands were Saudi but had been subject to Egyptian protection. Saudi Arabia has helped Mr. Sisi since he toppled President Mohamed Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013, and the wrangling over the Red Sea deal was a source of tensions between the t... Link to the full article to read more