Israel seeks legal advice on Red Sea islands

The Israeli government said it is mulling the issue of the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir, which Egypt recently said are inside Saudi territorial waters, from a legal perspective.

Israeli public radio cited sources in the Israeli foreign ministry as saying: “The issue of the Tiran and Sanafir islands is under legal consideration at the ministry.”

“After a comprehensive legal opinion has been made on this matter, Israel will announce an official stance regarding it,” Israeli radio said citing an unnamed source.

“If need be, Israel will have dialogue with Egypt regarding” the islands, the source added.

But this issue “does not affect at all” Egyptian-Israeli relations, they said.

The Egyptian government announced on Friday it signed an agreement demarcating maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, implying that Cairo has acknowledged that the two islands are Saudi.

Tiran and Sanafir are located to the north of the Red Sea, at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Tiran lies at the mouth of the Tiran Strait, which separates the Gulf from the Red Sea. It is located six kilometres from Sinai’s eastern coast. Sanafir is located next to Tiran from the east.