Minister of Manpower and Immigration Aisha Abdel Hadi backtracked on her earlier decision banning Egyptian doctors of working in Saudi private hospitals in the aftermath of the crisis of the two Egyptian doctors that were sentenced to be imprisoned and lashed. Abdel Hadi issued another decision two days ago lifting the ban although the crisis has not been solved yet and there is still an enforceable ruling per which the two doctors will be imprisoned for 15-20 years and will receive 1500 lashes each. In statements yesterday, Abdel Hadi said she decided to lift the ban following negotiations by the Egyptian Labor Representation Office in Riyadh and Jeddah over the last few days. The Egyptian office agreed with the Saudi bodies concerned and officials of the health committee in Riyadh to deal with the Egyptian labor working in the Saudi private sector in accordance with the Saudi labor law so as to ensure the financial and moral rights of the laborers on the one hand, and the rights of the Saudis on the other. The Egyptian minister added that the new contract will be endorsed by the Saudi Ministry of Labor to be binding for all private sector enterprises in Saudi Arabia. Abdel Hadi added that her earlier decision aimed to regulate the flow of Egyptian workers to Saudi Arabia. However, she did not refer to a relation between her earlier decision and the crisis of the two doctors. She emphasized that there will be new contracts applied to all departments responsible for foreign labor in labor force directorates in Cairo and other governorates, as well as the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce as regards Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia. “The contracts will reduce problems and guarantee the rights of the two parties,” Abdel Hadi said. Last November 13, the Ministry of Manpower imposed a ban on dealing with 26 Saudi companies and facilities, including Al-Salam Hospital in Jeddah, for which the Egyptian two doctors were working. She noted that the decision stipulated that whoever wants to travel to Saudi Arabia should submit a certificate proving that he is still registered in the Medical Syndicate. For their part, well-informed sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Abdel Hadi backtracked on her decision after an agreement with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to solve the crisis of the doctors, especially after submitting a petition to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to issue a royal amnesty for them or re-try them. The sources considered that Abdel Hadi's backtrack on her previous decision is a positive step that had to be firstly taken by the Egyptian side, waiting for a similar step from the Saudi side. That decision is expected to lead to positive developments in the crisis. However, it is expected to be rejected by the Egyptian street.
