16 dec 2019
With expected boon, Israel plans to wean itself off coal and potentially revolutionize its economy, potentially aided by EU as it aims to reduce dependence on Russian gas with new delivery routes, something that could also curtail Iranian ambitions to use Syria as gateway to Mediterranean
Israel became a major energy exporter for the first time on Monday after signing a permit to export natural gas to Egypt.
The announcement comes just days before Israel's lucrative Leviathan gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is expected to go online.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz called the permit a “historic landmark” for Israel. He said it’s the most significant economic cooperation project between the neighboring countries since they signed a peace deal in 1979.
With the expected gas boon, Israel plans to wean itself off coal and potentially revolutionize its economy.
The European Union, seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, has encouraged the formation of new delivery routes, including through the eastern Mediterranean. These routes could also curtail Iranian ambitions to use Syria as a gateway to the Mediterranean.
“The natural gas revolution turns us into an energy power and affords us not just huge income for the country but also a dramatic decrease in air pollution,” Steinitz said.
But Israel’s focus on its newfound gas reserves over the past decade has faced stiff domestic criticism from environmental and social welfare activists.
They say the government has been too generous toward the gas tycoons behind the exploration, and that the massive investment has steered resources away from focusing on renewable energy sources.
More recently, local activists have been urging Israel’s Delek Drilling and its U.S. partner, Noble Energy, to move a proposed shoreline treatment gas rig farther out to sea.
The activists fear what they call the catastrophic consequences of spreading toxic water and air pollution toward their homes.
Delek, Noble, and the government insist that the most stringent safety measures have been put in place, and accuse their critics of waging an irresponsible scare campaign.
Aside from the economic benefits, the promise of gas appears to have helped Israel grow closer to Arab governments and other Mediterranean countries.
Israel signed a $15 billion deal last year to provide Egypt with 64 billion cubic meters of gas over a 10-year period that will help transform both into regional energy players.
In January, Egypt hosted its first-ever regional gas forum. Steinitz attended alongside several regional delegations, the first such visit by an Israeli cabinet member since Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
Although past economic agreements with Israel have been controversial in Egypt, where support for the Palestinians runs high, relations have been steadily warming.
Israel became a major energy exporter for the first time on Monday after signing a permit to export natural gas to Egypt.
The announcement comes just days before Israel's lucrative Leviathan gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is expected to go online.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz called the permit a “historic landmark” for Israel. He said it’s the most significant economic cooperation project between the neighboring countries since they signed a peace deal in 1979.
With the expected gas boon, Israel plans to wean itself off coal and potentially revolutionize its economy.
The European Union, seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, has encouraged the formation of new delivery routes, including through the eastern Mediterranean. These routes could also curtail Iranian ambitions to use Syria as a gateway to the Mediterranean.
“The natural gas revolution turns us into an energy power and affords us not just huge income for the country but also a dramatic decrease in air pollution,” Steinitz said.
But Israel’s focus on its newfound gas reserves over the past decade has faced stiff domestic criticism from environmental and social welfare activists.
They say the government has been too generous toward the gas tycoons behind the exploration, and that the massive investment has steered resources away from focusing on renewable energy sources.
More recently, local activists have been urging Israel’s Delek Drilling and its U.S. partner, Noble Energy, to move a proposed shoreline treatment gas rig farther out to sea.
The activists fear what they call the catastrophic consequences of spreading toxic water and air pollution toward their homes.
Delek, Noble, and the government insist that the most stringent safety measures have been put in place, and accuse their critics of waging an irresponsible scare campaign.
Aside from the economic benefits, the promise of gas appears to have helped Israel grow closer to Arab governments and other Mediterranean countries.
Israel signed a $15 billion deal last year to provide Egypt with 64 billion cubic meters of gas over a 10-year period that will help transform both into regional energy players.
In January, Egypt hosted its first-ever regional gas forum. Steinitz attended alongside several regional delegations, the first such visit by an Israeli cabinet member since Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
Although past economic agreements with Israel have been controversial in Egypt, where support for the Palestinians runs high, relations have been steadily warming.
25 nov 2019
Former Israeli Communications Minister, Ayyoub al-Qarra, an Arab Druze member of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, said that Israel was advancing its normalization ties with various Arab countries, and next year, Israelis will be able to open businesses and have normal political tries with Arab Gulf states.
The Maan News agency quoted al-Qarra stating that his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates was “great and historic,” and added that the normal ties between Israel, and these Arab states will be openly declared after the United States presents its “peace plan.”
He added that he already started meetings and communications with senior political leaders in Bahrain and that the official declaration of this normalization was only delayed due to the corruption investigations into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the impeachment inquiry of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In an interview with i24news, al-Qarra said that the idea of a gas pipeline between Saudi Arabia and Israel is possible, and the Saudi monarchy is capable of implementing such a project, according to Maan.
He also said that the idea of the gas pipeline was first made by a Gulf state, without specifying which.
When asked about confirming a meeting took place between Netanyahu and the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, the Israeli minister refused to answer, and only said that such issues are sensitive.
He also said that he is personally working with a state in the Gulf to arrange future visits by senior Israeli officials to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, and added that “soon, Muslims with Israeli citizenship will be allowed to enter Mecca for pilgrimage using their Israeli-issued passports,” and citizens of these states will be able to visit “Israel, especially Jerusalem.”
Al-Qarra added that a prince from the United Arab Emirates recently visited Israel along with his wife, where she received medical treatment at an Israeli hospital.
He also said that he previously visited Qatar on behalf of the Netanyahu government, and held meetings with its senior political leaders.
The Maan News agency quoted al-Qarra stating that his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates was “great and historic,” and added that the normal ties between Israel, and these Arab states will be openly declared after the United States presents its “peace plan.”
He added that he already started meetings and communications with senior political leaders in Bahrain and that the official declaration of this normalization was only delayed due to the corruption investigations into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the impeachment inquiry of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In an interview with i24news, al-Qarra said that the idea of a gas pipeline between Saudi Arabia and Israel is possible, and the Saudi monarchy is capable of implementing such a project, according to Maan.
He also said that the idea of the gas pipeline was first made by a Gulf state, without specifying which.
When asked about confirming a meeting took place between Netanyahu and the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, the Israeli minister refused to answer, and only said that such issues are sensitive.
He also said that he is personally working with a state in the Gulf to arrange future visits by senior Israeli officials to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, and added that “soon, Muslims with Israeli citizenship will be allowed to enter Mecca for pilgrimage using their Israeli-issued passports,” and citizens of these states will be able to visit “Israel, especially Jerusalem.”
Al-Qarra added that a prince from the United Arab Emirates recently visited Israel along with his wife, where she received medical treatment at an Israeli hospital.
He also said that he previously visited Qatar on behalf of the Netanyahu government, and held meetings with its senior political leaders.
9 sept 2019
The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) threatened that it will begin cutting off the electricity supply to the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the upcoming September 17th Israeli elections due to ‘outstanding debts’, Kan Israeli website reported Sunday.
According to the website, the IEC will discontinue the electricity supply to Palestinian villages in the West Bank to put pressure on the Palestinian Authority to pay its 1.7 billion New Israeli Shekel (NIS) debt.
2 weeks ago, the IEC reportedly notified Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Energy, the Electricity Authority, and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories about the decision to stop the electricity supply because of the PA’s outstanding debt.
An Israeli High Court decision, 2 months ago stated that starting from the date of the notification to the relevant parties, the IEC has to wait 35 days until being permitted to cut off the electricity supply.
In August of 2018, it was reported in the Marker newspaper that the Israeli Ministry of Finance is moving to transfer an estimated NIS 500 million to the electricity company from the Palestinian tax funds collected by the occupation authorities, claiming to pay the accumulated debts of the Palestinian Authority to the IEC.
In response, the Head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Thafer Melhem denied all claims of accumulated debts by the Palestinian Electricity Company to the tune of 1.7 billion shekels.
Melhem explained that there are only debts accumulated on the Al-Quds electricity company, worth 600 million shekels, and that within the 2016 agreement, the company is scheduling these debts, but, according to Melhem, Israel withdrew from this agreement.
Israel asked the PA to pay the remaining amount owing immediately, threatening that otherwise, the power will be cut off from the Jerusalem Electricity Company covered regions after two weeks.
Following threats: PA denies claims of debts to the Israel Electric Corporation
The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) threatened that it will begin cutting off the electricity supply to the Palestinian Authority after the upcoming September 17 elections due to ‘outstanding debts’, Kan Israeli website said on Sunday.
According to the website, IEC will cut off the electricity supply to Palestinian villages in the West Bank to put pressure on the PA to pay its NIS 1.7 billion electric bill.
Two weeks ago, the IEC has reportedly notified Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ministers of finance and energy, the Electricity Authority and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories about the decision to cut off the electricity supply due to the PA’s debt.
A High Court decision two months ago stated that starting from the date of the notification to the relevant parties, the IEC has to wait 35 days until being permitted to cut off the electricity supply.
Last August, it was reported in the Marker newspaper that the Israeli Ministry of Finance is moving to transfer an estimated NIS 500 million to the electricity company from the Palestinian tax funds collected by the occupation authorities, claiming to pay the accumulated debts of the Palestinian Authority to the IEC.
In response, Head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Thafer Melhem denied claims of accumulate debts by the Palestinian Electricity Company to the tune of 1.7 billion shekel.
Melhem explained that there are only debts accumulated on the Al-Quds electricity company, worth 600 million shekels, and that within the 2016 agreement, the company is scheduling these debts, but new, according to Melhem, Israel retracted from this agreement, and asked to pay the remaining amount at once, threatening that otherwise, the power will be cut off from the Jerusalem Electricity Concession areas after two weeks.
In addition, Melhem told Voice of Palestine radio that the PA Energy Authority and Massader are about to put the final touches to their ongoing negotiations to start construction of a new power plant in Jenin, which will be the largest in the PA, as soon as possible, SAWA reported.
The Power Plant will be a gas fired Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) with a generation capacity of approximately 450 megawatts, supplied by natural gas from the Gaza Marine gas field.
According to the website, the IEC will discontinue the electricity supply to Palestinian villages in the West Bank to put pressure on the Palestinian Authority to pay its 1.7 billion New Israeli Shekel (NIS) debt.
2 weeks ago, the IEC reportedly notified Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Energy, the Electricity Authority, and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories about the decision to stop the electricity supply because of the PA’s outstanding debt.
An Israeli High Court decision, 2 months ago stated that starting from the date of the notification to the relevant parties, the IEC has to wait 35 days until being permitted to cut off the electricity supply.
In August of 2018, it was reported in the Marker newspaper that the Israeli Ministry of Finance is moving to transfer an estimated NIS 500 million to the electricity company from the Palestinian tax funds collected by the occupation authorities, claiming to pay the accumulated debts of the Palestinian Authority to the IEC.
In response, the Head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Thafer Melhem denied all claims of accumulated debts by the Palestinian Electricity Company to the tune of 1.7 billion shekels.
Melhem explained that there are only debts accumulated on the Al-Quds electricity company, worth 600 million shekels, and that within the 2016 agreement, the company is scheduling these debts, but, according to Melhem, Israel withdrew from this agreement.
Israel asked the PA to pay the remaining amount owing immediately, threatening that otherwise, the power will be cut off from the Jerusalem Electricity Company covered regions after two weeks.
Following threats: PA denies claims of debts to the Israel Electric Corporation
The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) threatened that it will begin cutting off the electricity supply to the Palestinian Authority after the upcoming September 17 elections due to ‘outstanding debts’, Kan Israeli website said on Sunday.
According to the website, IEC will cut off the electricity supply to Palestinian villages in the West Bank to put pressure on the PA to pay its NIS 1.7 billion electric bill.
Two weeks ago, the IEC has reportedly notified Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ministers of finance and energy, the Electricity Authority and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories about the decision to cut off the electricity supply due to the PA’s debt.
A High Court decision two months ago stated that starting from the date of the notification to the relevant parties, the IEC has to wait 35 days until being permitted to cut off the electricity supply.
Last August, it was reported in the Marker newspaper that the Israeli Ministry of Finance is moving to transfer an estimated NIS 500 million to the electricity company from the Palestinian tax funds collected by the occupation authorities, claiming to pay the accumulated debts of the Palestinian Authority to the IEC.
In response, Head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Thafer Melhem denied claims of accumulate debts by the Palestinian Electricity Company to the tune of 1.7 billion shekel.
Melhem explained that there are only debts accumulated on the Al-Quds electricity company, worth 600 million shekels, and that within the 2016 agreement, the company is scheduling these debts, but new, according to Melhem, Israel retracted from this agreement, and asked to pay the remaining amount at once, threatening that otherwise, the power will be cut off from the Jerusalem Electricity Concession areas after two weeks.
In addition, Melhem told Voice of Palestine radio that the PA Energy Authority and Massader are about to put the final touches to their ongoing negotiations to start construction of a new power plant in Jenin, which will be the largest in the PA, as soon as possible, SAWA reported.
The Power Plant will be a gas fired Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) with a generation capacity of approximately 450 megawatts, supplied by natural gas from the Gaza Marine gas field.
1 aug 2019
An ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Riyadh has exchanged views with Tel Aviv on importing natural gas from the occupied territories, as the two regimes speed up normalization efforts.
Citing conversations with senior regional officials, former Israeli communications minister Ayoob Kara, said on Thursday that the two regimes had discussed building a pipeline that would connect Saudi Arabia to Eliat, a Red Sea resort city in the southern tip of the occupied lands, Bloomberg reported.
Referring to the gas pipeline project, Kara said, “This is about mutual interest.”
He also claimed that support for Palestine had begun to wane in the Arab world because of the strains between Iran and other Persian Gulf countries.
Currently, he added, Saudi Arabia and its regional allies only pay “lip service” to the Palestinian cause, and are seeking upgraded military and economic ties with Israel.
“All they care about is the security and future of their countries,” Kara said.
Netanyahu’s ally further noted that part of the Saudi-Israeli discussions center on a new energy corridor that would connect Saudi Arabia to the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline, a project that would allow the kingdom to export its oil to Europe.
Israel has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, but latest reports suggest the regime is working behind the scenes to establish formal contact with Saudi Arabia and its allies.
In an interview with US magazine The Atlantic in April 2018, Saudi Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman recognized the “right” for Israelis to “have their own land.”
Critics say Saudi Arabia’s flirtation with Israel would undermine global efforts to isolate Tel Aviv and affect the Palestinian cause in general. They say Riyadh has gone too far in its cooperation with the Israelis as a way of deterring Iran as an influential player in the region.
Citing conversations with senior regional officials, former Israeli communications minister Ayoob Kara, said on Thursday that the two regimes had discussed building a pipeline that would connect Saudi Arabia to Eliat, a Red Sea resort city in the southern tip of the occupied lands, Bloomberg reported.
Referring to the gas pipeline project, Kara said, “This is about mutual interest.”
He also claimed that support for Palestine had begun to wane in the Arab world because of the strains between Iran and other Persian Gulf countries.
Currently, he added, Saudi Arabia and its regional allies only pay “lip service” to the Palestinian cause, and are seeking upgraded military and economic ties with Israel.
“All they care about is the security and future of their countries,” Kara said.
Netanyahu’s ally further noted that part of the Saudi-Israeli discussions center on a new energy corridor that would connect Saudi Arabia to the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline, a project that would allow the kingdom to export its oil to Europe.
Israel has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, but latest reports suggest the regime is working behind the scenes to establish formal contact with Saudi Arabia and its allies.
In an interview with US magazine The Atlantic in April 2018, Saudi Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman recognized the “right” for Israelis to “have their own land.”
Critics say Saudi Arabia’s flirtation with Israel would undermine global efforts to isolate Tel Aviv and affect the Palestinian cause in general. They say Riyadh has gone too far in its cooperation with the Israelis as a way of deterring Iran as an influential player in the region.
30 apr 2019
A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace on April 6, 2019 shows King Abdullah II of Jordan speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2019 World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, at the King Hussein Convention Center at the Dead Sea, Jordan.
Jordanian King Abdullah II has ordered a review of his country’s multi-billion-dollar deal to import natural gas from the Israeli-occupied territories.
The London-based and Arabic-language Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, citing senior Jordanian political sources, reported that the king made the decision “in a technical report that examines Jordan’s interests from the continuation or the freezing of the agreement.”
Khaled Bakkar, the head of the finance committee in the Jordanian parliament, said the gas deal apart from being “blatant normalization” with the Israeli regime, is “economically weak” based on the feasibility studies.
He stressed that Jordan’s energy production surpassed the country’s needs, and the import of Israeli gas was only for the benefit of the Tel Aviv regime.
On September 26, 2016, Jordan’s National Electric Power Company signed a 10-billion-dollar deal with US-based Noble Energy and Israeli partners, which will tap the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel for the supply of approximately 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or 300 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d), over a 15-year term. Production is expected to begin around 2019 or 2020.
On March 26, members of Jordan’s parliament called for the cancellation of the gas deal with Israel during a parliamentary session closed to the public.
House Speaker Atef Tarawneh stated that all sectors of the society and members of parliament utterly reject Jordanian electricity company agreement to buy Israeli natural gas.
Several legislators argued that the multi-billion-dollar deal violates Article 33, section two of the Jordanian constitution, which states: “Treaties and agreements which entail any expenditures to the Treasury of the State or affect the public or private rights of Jordanians shall not be valid unless approved by the parliament; and in no case shall the secret terms in a treaty or agreement be contrary to the overt terms.”
Lawmaker Saddah al-Habashneh said the deal was unconstitutional, stressing that members of parliament were not given access to read what he called the “secret” deal.
“Why are they hiding it? It’s a clue that there is something. It is totally rejected,” he commented.
Habashneh then demanded the deal be scrapped along with Jordan’s peace accord with Israel – known as Wadi Araba Treaty and signed on October 26, 1994.
“We are calling for the Wadi Araba agreement to be dropped. What is peace when they’re attacking Gaza?” the parliamentarian said.
“And with yesterday’s recognition of the Golan Heights, what’s left? We want dignity,” he pointed out.
On March 25, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation, formally recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, in a statement, called the US decision a “blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Syria.
“The liberation of the Golan by all available means and its return to the Syrian motherland is an inalienable right,” according to the statement carried by Syria’s official news agency SANA, which added, “The decision ... makes the United States the main enemy of the Arabs.”
The Arab League also condemned the move, saying "Trump's recognition does not change the area's status."
Iran, Iraq, Russia and Turkey also condemned the US move.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria after the 1967 Six-Day War and later occupied it in a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
The regime has built dozens of settlements in the area ever since and has used the region to carry out a number of military operations against the Syrian government.
Jordanian King Abdullah II has ordered a review of his country’s multi-billion-dollar deal to import natural gas from the Israeli-occupied territories.
The London-based and Arabic-language Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, citing senior Jordanian political sources, reported that the king made the decision “in a technical report that examines Jordan’s interests from the continuation or the freezing of the agreement.”
Khaled Bakkar, the head of the finance committee in the Jordanian parliament, said the gas deal apart from being “blatant normalization” with the Israeli regime, is “economically weak” based on the feasibility studies.
He stressed that Jordan’s energy production surpassed the country’s needs, and the import of Israeli gas was only for the benefit of the Tel Aviv regime.
On September 26, 2016, Jordan’s National Electric Power Company signed a 10-billion-dollar deal with US-based Noble Energy and Israeli partners, which will tap the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel for the supply of approximately 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or 300 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d), over a 15-year term. Production is expected to begin around 2019 or 2020.
On March 26, members of Jordan’s parliament called for the cancellation of the gas deal with Israel during a parliamentary session closed to the public.
House Speaker Atef Tarawneh stated that all sectors of the society and members of parliament utterly reject Jordanian electricity company agreement to buy Israeli natural gas.
Several legislators argued that the multi-billion-dollar deal violates Article 33, section two of the Jordanian constitution, which states: “Treaties and agreements which entail any expenditures to the Treasury of the State or affect the public or private rights of Jordanians shall not be valid unless approved by the parliament; and in no case shall the secret terms in a treaty or agreement be contrary to the overt terms.”
Lawmaker Saddah al-Habashneh said the deal was unconstitutional, stressing that members of parliament were not given access to read what he called the “secret” deal.
“Why are they hiding it? It’s a clue that there is something. It is totally rejected,” he commented.
Habashneh then demanded the deal be scrapped along with Jordan’s peace accord with Israel – known as Wadi Araba Treaty and signed on October 26, 1994.
“We are calling for the Wadi Araba agreement to be dropped. What is peace when they’re attacking Gaza?” the parliamentarian said.
“And with yesterday’s recognition of the Golan Heights, what’s left? We want dignity,” he pointed out.
On March 25, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation, formally recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, in a statement, called the US decision a “blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Syria.
“The liberation of the Golan by all available means and its return to the Syrian motherland is an inalienable right,” according to the statement carried by Syria’s official news agency SANA, which added, “The decision ... makes the United States the main enemy of the Arabs.”
The Arab League also condemned the move, saying "Trump's recognition does not change the area's status."
Iran, Iraq, Russia and Turkey also condemned the US move.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria after the 1967 Six-Day War and later occupied it in a move that has never been recognized by the international community.
The regime has built dozens of settlements in the area ever since and has used the region to carry out a number of military operations against the Syrian government.
