Egyptian parliament postpones decision on 'military support for Saudi Arabia' until the 26th; opposition urges caution on troop deployment

[Financial News] Egypt's parliament has postponed until next week discussions on a bill approving military support for Saudi Arabia, as requested by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
According to Egyptian state media outlets, including Al-Akhbar, on the 19th (local time), Hisham Badawi, speaker of Egypt's House of Representatives, adjourned without reaching a conclusion the second emergency session convened that day to decide whether to provide military support to Saudi Arabia. Discussions are scheduled to resume on the 26th. Several lawmakers said, "The decision was left pending to give all members a chance to speak and express their views," and reported that a majority of lawmakers support the approval bill.
The parliament was convened after President el-Sisi requested authorization to provide immediate military support if Saudi Arabia asked, as attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels intensified. The Houthis have been carrying out drone and missile attacks targeting major Saudi energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, including Riyadh International Airport, where an attack recently killed 13 people. As security threats mounted, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a surprise visit to Egypt last month and discussed strengthening military cooperation with President el-Sisi.
In a speech at the Military Academy's graduation ceremony on the 17th, President el-Sisi declared his strong commitment to protecting Gulf allies, saying, "If King Salman or Crown Prince bin Salman requests support, we will respond immediately."
However, hurdles including opposition resistance remain before troops can actually be deployed. Under Egypt's constitution, deploying troops on overseas combat missions requires consultation with the National Defense Council and approval from at least two-thirds of all members of parliament.
The opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party expressed support for solidarity with Saudi Arabia but clearly opposed deploying troops abroad. The party said, "Given the economic difficulties Egypt faces, a clear assessment of the costs and financial impact of military operations must come first," and called for an accurate assessment of the specific objectives and duration of any deployment, as well as the potential risks to soldiers' lives.


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