conflicts
Controversial gas field connected to Israel’s production system
The situation between Israel and Lebanon is tense due to a dispute over the shared sea border. photo
© Ayal Margolin/JINI/XinHua/dpa
The dispute over the future sea border between Israel and Lebanon continues – but the controversial gas field has now been connected to Israel’s production system. Does that create more tension?
Despite the lack of an agreement with Lebanon in the dispute over the future sea border, the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean has already been connected to Israel’s national production system.
The British-Greek company Energean announced on Sunday that as part of a test, gas had been transported in the opposite direction, i.e. from the coast towards the platform, for the first time. It is not yet about the beginning of gas production, but a test of the systems.
The gas field is part of a dispute over a sea area that both Israel and Lebanon claim as an exclusive economic zone. The decades-long conflict over the course of the border intensified after the discovery of natural gas resources. Israel wants to start producing gas from the Karish gas field as soon as possible. The Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah had described the start of production before an agreement as a “red line”. Israel shot down several Hezbollah drones at the platform in early July.
No hope for a quick agreement
Hopes for a quick agreement in the dispute between the warring countries over their sea borders had recently been dashed. However, according to media reports, the negotiations continue. On Thursday, Israel rejected Lebanon’s proposed amendments to a US compromise proposal. It is feared that a failure of the negotiations, which have been going on for about two years, could lead to further tensions in the region. On November 1st there will be parliamentary elections in Israel.
The gas from Israel could also help ease Europe’s energy crisis. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has increasingly been looking for other gas suppliers.