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Israel to buy gas from Palestinian Authority
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
JERUSALEM — Israel, amid daily Palestinian missile strikes, has
decided to purchase natural gas from the Palestinian Authority.
On April 29, the Israeli government said it would purchase gas from the
offshore Gaza Maritime field developed in the Mediterranean Sea by British
Gas. The PA would acquire an estimated $60 million in revenues from the gas
field, said to contain 40 billion cubic meters.
[On Wednesday, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
appeared ready to fall amid pressure within his ruling Kadima Party to
resign in wake of a government commission that blamed him and other senior
officials for the failure to defeat Hizbullah in the Lebanon war in 2006. At
the same time, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, chairman of the Labor Party,
was expected to resign imminently from the government.]
At this point, the deal, approved in principle, has been opposed only by
Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Officials said a purchase
contract could be signed in late 2007.
British Gas has a 20-year concession on Gaza Maritime in partnership
with Consolidated Contractors Co. The firm has been owned by the powerful
Khoury and Sabbagh families.
Copyright © 2007 East West
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