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Israel: With Red Sea Islands Deal, Saudi Arabia Gave Written Assurances over Freedom of Passage in Tiran Straits

(Ha'aretz) Gili Cohen - Israel's freedom of passage in the Straits of Tiran following the transfer of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir from Egypt to Saudi Arabia was guaranteed in the deal, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Tuesday. A document handed to Israel ensures the commitment of Saudi Arabia, which doesn't have formal agreements with Israel, to carry on with the principles reached by Israel and Egypt in their 1979 peace agreement. According to the accord, the Straits of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba are international waterways open to free sailing and flying. The two islands control entry to the Gulf of Aqaba and the Israeli port of Eilat. "We reached an agreement between the four parties - the Saudis, the Egyptians, Israel and the United States - to transfer the responsibility for the islands, on condition that the Saudis step into the Egyptians' shoes regarding the military appendix of the peace agreement," Ya'alon said. He added that Israel does not object to the construction of an overland bridge at the site, and that the move was carried out with Israel's consent.
2016-04-13 00:00:00
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