Security cameras to replace international peacekeepers at Red Sea islands — report

Security cameras will replace the departing international peacekeepers on a pair of Saudi Red Sea islands, Reuters reports.

The news agency cites an unidentified official in one of the countries involved in the recent deal involving the US, Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to give the Saudis great control over the islands.

US President Joe Biden announced the planned withdrawal of the multinational observer force earlier this month, paving the way for the Saudis to allow Israeli airlines to fly over their territory while heading east.

Saudi Arabia has for years sought sovereignty over the islands in order to develop them as a tourist zone, and Egypt agreed to relinquish them, but Israel’s approval was needed for the transfer to go through.

Tiran and Sanafir were previously held by Israel, which agreed to transfer them to Egypt as part of their 1979 peace treaty on the grounds that a multinational observer force be stationed there and that it would receive assurances for freedom of transport around the islands.