Egypt Parliament Postpones Crucial Vote on Military Support for Saudi Arabia Amidst Yemen Conflict

Egypt's parliament has decided to postpone a vote that would authorize the country's armed forces to provide support to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has been facing escalating attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen. The House of Representatives announced on Monday that the vote has been adjourned until October 26, extending the ongoing discussion about Egypt's potential involvement in the Yemeni conflict.

The opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party has instructed its lawmakers to abstain from the vote. The party cited a lack of sufficient information regarding the mission's objectives, duration, costs, and the potential risks to Egyptian troops. However, according to two party members who spoke to AFP news agency, the majority of their lawmakers, despite the party's stance, are in favor of the measure. The party holds nearly a dozen seats in parliament.

Parliament has been tasked with granting President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi the authority to accept any defense assistance requests from Saudi Arabia. This comes in the wake of recent Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport and the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco. Saudi authorities reported that 13 people were killed in the October 10 attack on the airport. President el-Sisi stated on Saturday that Egypt would take "any measure" necessary to protect its Gulf allies, clarifying that the focus would be on defense rather than aggression.

Following approval from the National Defence Council, which is chaired by el-Sisi, Egypt's constitution requires a two-thirds majority in parliament to deploy troops for combat missions abroad. The National Defence Council had previously given its approval on Sunday.

The Grand Imam of al-Azhar has appealed to Arab and Muslim leaders to mediate Egypt's parliamentary decision and prevent further bloodshed. Saudi Arabia plays a significant role in supporting Egypt's economy, with a planned deposit of $5.3 billion into Egypt's central bank this month, along with $267.39 million in interest.

Egypt's EGX30 stock index experienced an initial dip on Monday due to concerns over potential military involvement but later recovered, closing 0.4 percent higher. Nematallah Choucri, head of research at HC Securities, indicated to Reuters that geopolitical developments are the primary factor influencing recent market downturns. Egypt's economic situation is also impacted by the shortage of oil and gas exports from the Middle East, attributed to the United States' actions against Iran and the ongoing conflict in Yemen. Furthermore, Egypt's economy relies heavily on remittances from Egyptians employed in the hydrocarbon industry in Saudi Arabia.

Political analyst and Gulf studies expert Thomas Bonnie James told Al Jazeera that the Houthi threat to Saudi Arabia's security also poses a risk to the Suez Canal. Egypt's foreign minister has stated that the canal has lost approximately $11 billion since the Houthis initiated attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb strait in solidarity with Gaza in 2023. James also noted that Egypt does not wish to be perceived as a regional ally that "stood aside while others defended the kingdom." Turkiye and Pakistan have also made pledges of support after activating the Mecca defense pact with Riyadh, signed in August, amidst the worsening security situation in the Middle East.