Egyptian security officials and Arab media said that several armed individuals have blown up a gas pipeline connecting Israel and Egypt, on Sunday night.
Reports indicated that at least six masked men have planted explosives under the pipeline in the Egyptian town of Bir al-Abd, in northern Sinai.
“The explosion sent thick flames of fire shooting into the sky, and authorities stopped the flow of gas to extinguish the fire,” Egyptian officials said, as reported in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Following Similar Deal with #Jordan, #Israel Begins Exporting Natural #Gas to #Egypt https://t.co/14CwibGN9h via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/pFZhNdY98N
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 17, 2020
Israel has begun pumping natural gas to Egypt on January 15, under a 15-year deal which has been described by Israeli officials as the “most significant deal to emerge since the countries signed a historic peace treaty in 1979.”
Jordan too receives large shipments of Israeli gas according to a newly-implemented deal, which has resulted in mass protests throughout the country.
Massive Rally in #Jordan to Protest against Gas Deal with #Israel (VIDEO) https://t.co/H1W2ZDdEGM via @PalestineChron #Leviathan #MiddleEast pic.twitter.com/eIokg3erCq
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 7, 2020
“Israel is diversifying beyond exerting regional economic dominance to becoming a big player on the international geopolitical stage as well,” Palestinian journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle, Ramzy Baroud, wrote in a recent editorial.
This means that Israel is using Egypt and Jordan as a starting point for its gas exports that will eventually reach Europe, and even beyond.
“The EastMed pipeline project – which primarily involves Israel – estimated at €6bn, is expected to cover 10% of Europe’s overall need for natural gas,” Baroud also said.
RT PalestineChron "Pipeline or a Pipedream: #Israel, #Turkey #Hydrocarbon Conflict is Brewing in the #Mediterranean #Leviathan #Gas #MiddleEast https://t.co/UIIVVXKDY2 via PalestineChron https://t.co/cEhw0XhjD5 pic.twitter.com/d81OkhTkYN"
— Richard Hardigan (@RichardHardigan) February 2, 2020
As for Israeli gas exports to Egypt, they will gradually reach 7 billion cubic meters.
Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings reached a landmark deal last year with the Israeli companies operating the Israeli fields Leviathan and Tamar.
The blown-up gas pipeline in Sinai is directly linked to the Leviathan field.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
