Nearly 100 former defense officials have sent a letter to the government
that warned against basing Israel's energy policy on the prospect of
recovering large natural gas resources from the Mediterranean.
The officials
said Israel's natural gas exploration and development infrastructure would
become an immediate target in any future war.
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"It is clear to every Israeli that the offshore rigs have become a
strategic target for Israel's enemies and that the Israel Defense Forces,
like any other army,
cannot guarantee it full immunity since it does not depend on the military's
capability or technology, but on the very nature of the mission," the
letter, sent to senior Israeli ministers, said.
Israel has drafted a policy of exploring for or importing gas to replace
diesel as the fuel for the nation's power generators. The letter urged the
government to diversify energy resources to ensure supplies even during war.