Egyptian Parliament approves measures to support and defend Saudi Arabia

Cairo -- The Egyptian Parliament, chaired by Adviser Hesham Badawi, approved during its general session held today on Monday to empower President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to take the necessary measures to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Middle East News Agency reported that the approval came after MPs stood in a show of support to empower the president to take all necessary steps to support and defend Saudi Arabia. Article 152 of the Egyptian Constitution stipulates that approval for deploying the armed forces on an external combat mission must be obtained by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Parliament during an urgent closed session convened at the request of the president and after consulting the National Defense Council. The Egyptian National Defense Council had decided during a meeting last week, chaired by the president and attended by the speakers of the Parliament and the Council of Ministers and the commanders of the armed forces, to provide all necessary and possible forms of support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to defend its security and stability, safeguard its resources, and protect its territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites. (End) A.S.M./N.S.A.