Israeli media reported that Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Khanegbi visited the Egyptian capital Cairo two weeks ago.
Israel Hayom reported today, Wednesday, that “Hanbi visited the Egyptian capital of Cairo about two weeks ago, where he met with Egyptian officials to discuss the Gaza Marin gas field and discuss ways and mechanisms to exploit fields and gas production.
The newspaper said that “the proceeds from the gas field off the coast of the Gaza Strip will return to the treasury of the Palestinian Authority,” without disclosing further details or the share that Israel demands in exchange for allowing the gas field to be exploited.
According to the newspaper, “Egyptian authorities will be responsible for the development of the gas field, its exploitation and gas production in the interests of the Palestinian Authority, according to a decision issued by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which notes that the US administration supports the steps and procedures for exploitation gas field off the coast of Gaza.
The newspaper quoted a senior Israeli political source as saying: “The state is interested in finding economic sources of income for the Palestinian Authority in order to maintain its stability and expand the possibilities of the war on terrorism.”
The newspaper said that “Hangbi also discussed with the Egyptian side the issue of increasing the amount of gas that Egypt buys from Israel.”
Egypt is demanding that it increase by at least 4 billion cubic meters the amount of gas that Israel will sell to it, and this issue is at the top of its list of priorities.
According to the newspaper, “a decision on this issue will be taken within about a month after consultations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Energy Minister Yisrael Katz.”
The Palestinians own the first field discovered in the eastern Mediterranean region in the late 1990s, known as “Sea Gas”, and gas has not yet been produced from it due to Israel’s refusal.
The field is located 36 km west of Gaza in Mediterranean waters and was developed in 2000 by the British gas company British Gas, which left it in favor of Royal Dutch Shell, which also left in 2018.
The field reserves are estimated at 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or 32 billion cubic meters, which is equivalent to a production capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters per year for 20 years.
In 2000, the Gaza Marin gas district was discovered and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat hailed it as a “gift from God” just a day before he launched the second intifada against Israel.
Due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the gas has remained unchanged since its discovery for more than 20 years.
The decision of Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to start negotiations on a gas field has been revived after the Ukrainian crisis and Europe’s need for alternative energy sources, as the amount of gas in the field is expected to cover the needs of the Palestinian territories. , and will allow you to export it abroad.
Source: Israeli media
