Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources: Ethiopia retracted from previously reached agreements within the framework of the negotiating process on the Renaissance Dam.
Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation: The tripartite ministerial meeting regarding the Renaissance Dam did not achieve progress.
Gaza Ministry of Health: 6 Palestinians wounded by IOF fire east of Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A batch of incendiary balloons were launched towards settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
Turkey's Defense Ministry: 5 Kurdistan Workers Party members killed in an airstrike in northern Iraq.
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry says its forces raided several terrorist hideouts in Tehran and Western Azerbaijan and arrested 28 elements.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry says the terror attacks were aimed at undermining Iran's state security and showing Iran as a destabilized nation.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry says it foiled a terrorist plot being planned for Tehran, with all the culprits getting arrested.
Iranian Defense Ministry says has missiles designed with the intention of striking the Israeli occupation, namely the Hajj Qassem Soleimani missile.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Israeli occupation forces raided Birzeit University and arrested three young men in its vicinity.

"Israel", KSA negotiating regional islands, step to normalization

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Axios + Al Mayadeen English
  • 24 May 2022 16:09

The ceding of the islands to Saudi Arabia with the approval and patronage of "Israel" and the US will be the main stepping stone towards normalization between Riyadh and "Tel Aviv."

  • The Tiran and Sanafir islands are located at the entrance to the Straits of Tiran, which separates the Gulf of Aqaba from the Red Sea.

As an extension of the normalization agreements, the US administration has been mediating negotiations to cede the very strategic islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, which claimed ownership of them before 1950, the year when Riyadh gave Cairo authority over them.

If the negotiations between the US, "Israel", Saudi Arabia and Egypt are successful, this will pave the way for the normalization of relations between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia. 

Five Israeli sources told Axios that a predeterminant for the coming normalization process is the transfer of authority of the two islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. Although the island has been demilitarized as per the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli normalization agreement, it holds significant strategic importance, as it engulfs the passage into the Red Sea, up to "Eilat," "Israel's" bound-to-boom economic and trade hub, in addition to the port of Aqaba in Jordan.

For a long time, "Israel" has been working on assuming its authority over the Red Sea. It used the war on Yemen to assume authority over the Strait of Bab Al-Mandeb by constructing military bases and planting authority in Eritrea and Socotra. The occupation has also been looking to construct the "Ben Gurion" Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, right through "Eilat". 

With the US-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and "Israel" over the strategic islands, not only will the authority island witness a transfer, but the demilitarized status of the islands might also get a change, in addition to changes in US foreign policy. 

The sources who spoke to Axios divulged that the agreement is not complete and that sensitive negotiations are in the process.

The White House seeks to strike a deal before Biden's visit to "Israel" in June; despite the strained relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, Biden may also be passing by Riyadh as divulged by the sources.

Related News

Saudi Arabia halts normalization talks with 'Israel': Reports

'Israel' not to allow any neighbor to have nuclear program: Netanyahu

The agreement would constitute the most significant US foreign policy achievement in the region since the 2020 normalization agreements, which normalized Israeli diplomacy with certain Arab states, including Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

At the time of the signing, Saudi Arabia said they supported the agreements but would not normalize relations unless there is tangible progress in the "peace process" between "Israel" and Palestine.

Read more: Normalization: A stab in the back to the Palestinian cause

 

The agreement also serves as a mitigator for the tensions between Washington and Riyadh, where the former had been trying to get the latter to increase oil production to only be met with rejection.

In 2018, the Supreme Court approved to transfer of sovereignty of the islands back to Saudi Arabia despite protests in June 2017.

But why does "Israel" have a say in this? The apartheid regime becomes an official lobbyist in the treaty, while it supervises the maintenance of multinational 'observers' on the islands, who are also responsible for maintaining Israeli freedom of navigation through the straits - a move of stronghold. 

The agreement, according to White House Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, has been delayed due to the issue of multinational force of observers: Riyadh seeks to keep the island demilitarized while committing to full freedom of navigation, but also demands the expulsion of multinational observers, according to the sources.

Israeli officials, on their side, agreed to end the presence of the observers - but, in turn, demanded alternative security arrangements. In addition, "Israel" also demands that Saudi Arabia allow more Israeli flights to glide over its airspace, significantly abbreviating distances to China, Thailand and India, according to the sources. 

All in all, normalization agreements are to the benefit and security of the Israeli occupation. All normalization agreements in the Arab world entail tentacles of surveillance and hyper-militarization, constituting breaches of sovereignty of Arab peoples. The ceding of the islands, under the patronage of "Israel," will be another lamb to the sacrifice of regional independence.

  • Israel
  • Abraham Accords
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Egypt
  • Normalizing ties with Israel
  • Normalization

Most Read

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

  • Europe
  • 23 Sep 2023
Ukrainian soldiers ride an APC on the front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, on June 5, 2023 (AP)

US sees Ukrainian army demoralized, no chance to win: Seymour Hersh

  • Europe
  • 21 Sep 2023
Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

  • Analysis
  • 24 Sep 2023
British mercenary in Ukraine killed by another Brit

British mercenary in Ukraine killed by another Brit

  • Europe
  • 18 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
1982 Beirut welcomes invaders with 3 bullets and a cup of coffee
MENA

1982 Beirut welcomes invaders with 3 bullets and a cup of coffee

The effects of the Israeli occupation forces' raid on an office affiliated with the Student Council of Birzeit University were reported on September 24, 2023. by Palestinian media.
Palestine

IOF start arrest campaign targeting Birzeit University Student Council

French Barkhane Air Force mechanics maintain a Mirage 2000 on the Niamey, Niger base on June 5, 2021 (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)
Africa

France to withdraw ambassador and troops from Niger: Macron

This picture released by the official website of the Iranian Defense Ministry on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, shows the "Martyr Hajj Qassem" missile in an undisclosed location in Iran (Iranian Defense Ministry via AP)
Politics

Iran possesses missiles designed to target 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS