The speech made no direct mention of an agreement signed this weekend that will see Egypt give the disputed strategic islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia after what a government spokesman characterized in remarks to ONTV as “11 rounds of negotiations … over more than six years.” Backlash against the move which caught the attention of both Egyptian and foreign press, according to the Wall Street Journal. Following yesterday’s announcement demarcating Egypt’s maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, which fixed Tiran and Sanafir firmly within Saudi territory, Egyptians took to social media to grouse about the agreement: “Thousands tweeted a hashtag accusing Sisi of selling the islands,” the AFP reported on Sunday. The grumbling also sparked minor protests as some to took to Midan Talaat Harb to express their anger, Al Mal reports. Five were arrested and charged with illegal protesting and assembly and insulting the president.

The backlash also hit the House of Representatives, with MPs Nadia Henry and Youssef El Akeed boycotting King Salman’s speech to parliament, Al Shorouk reports. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir told Lamees El Hadidy that the tidying up of border disputes is a regular feature in diplomacy, adding that it would be wrong to assume Saudi Arabia paid for the islands with the King Salman bridge as negotiations have been going on for six years, Al Mal reports. The New York Times’ Declan Walsh also does a nice job with the story, deftly marshaling analyst comment and noting that “Saudi Arabia transferred Tiran and Sanafir to Egyptian control in 1950 amid concerns that Israel might seize them,” and noting that KSA had asked for the islands back as early as 1982.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail weighed in on the debate, stating that any mineral or energy resources discovered on the two islands would be divided up according to UN statutes and international agreements, Al Shorouk reports. He added that the government had taken into full consideration the islands’ status under the Camp David Accords before determining their transfer to Saudi Arabia did not violate the agreement.