CAIRO — Judge Hanafy Ali el-Gebaly, who validated a controversial 2016 agreement handing two islands to Saudi Arabia, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives of the new Egyptian parliament Jan. 12.
Gebaly, the former head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, had won an independent seat in October's parliamentary elections. The Nation's Future Party, known for its support of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and which holds holds 55% of the seats in the parliament, provided Gebaly the backing he needed to assume the post.