Illustrative image. Click to see full-size
On February 2nd, armed militants blew up a gas pipeline in Northern Sinai connecting Egypt and Israel.
At least six masked militants planted explosives under the pipeline in the town of Bir al-Abd. It transfers gas to el-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai, and a cement factory in central Sinai, local officials said.
The pipeline allegedly remained “functional” following the attacks.
A statement from the office of Israel’s energy minister, Yuval Steinitz, read:
“At the moment, the natural gas is flowing from Israel through the pipeline and reaching Egypt.
The ministry looked into the reported explosion, such as it was, in coordination with all relevant authorities.”
Another statement from the corporate partners operating Israel’s Leviathan gas field, which supplies the gas to the pipeline in question, issued a statement late on February 2nd said:
“There has not been any damage to the EMG pipeline connecting Israel and Egypt. The flow of gas from Leviathan to Egypt is continuing as normal.”
Thus, it is unclear if the attack even took place.
The reports of the sabotage come just two weeks after Israel started pumping natural gas to Egypt from two massive offshore fields, marking a major milestone and a historic cooperation between the countries, according to a joint January 15 statement by the two countries’ governments.
Steinitz hailed the move at the time as “the most significant cooperation ever between Israel and Egypt, in energy and the economy, since the [1979] peace treaty.”
The gas pipelines running through the Sinai Peninsula have long been a favorite target of jihadist groups in the restive region.
@nblenergy and Delek have finalized their acquisition of EMG pipeline, enabling a landmark $15 billion natural gas export deal between #Egypt and #Israel begin next year #oott #lng #energy @EgyptOilandGas pic.twitter.com/MJeUDypdFF
— Samer Mosis (@Samermosis) September 30, 2018
Israel’s Delek Group and the American company Noble Energy – which together own 85% of the Leviathan field – completed the purchase of 39% of the Egyptian gas pipeline in partnership. The purchase was carried out in conjunction with Egypt’s state-owned company EGAS for about $520 million.
Egypt has battled insurgents in Northern and Central Sinai since 2011, with varied intensity.
In late 2017, North Sinai was the scene of the deadliest attack in Egypt’s modern history when fighters killed more than 300 worshippers at a mosque, without any group claiming responsibility.
Following that, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi gave the order that the peninsula must be purged of terrorist elements.
In February 2018, the army launched a military operation aimed at defeating ISIS or related armed groups in the Sinai Peninsula.
Since then Egypt provides regular updates of how the operation is going. In November 2019, which was the most recent report it said that throughout October 2019, 83 suspected terrorist fighters had been killed, and 61 were detained.
According to estimates based on official figures upwards of 700 militants have been killed since the start of the operation, while the army has lost around 50 soldiers.
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Phantastic News, spoilling the ZioNAZI Thieves attempts to selling off the stolen resources.
If you missed it, dodo, the natural gas is still flowing to Egypt.
“the natural gas is still flowing to Egypt.” – I didn’t know that. It still sounds fantastic that Egypt and Jordan are buying gas from Israel. These are countries that have fought against Israel in the past.
I guess they are smart enough to have realized that improving their economies and the life of their people is better than fighting and generally losing wars. Hopefully, the Islamist Iranians and Palestinian leadership will get smart as well.
Hahahaha that sucks
the more they fuck up israel, or the illegal settlement called israel, the better it is and the quicker we’ll be able to send the squatting jews to their destiny which is nothing better than 6 feet under pushing up daisies.
A Jew will sell his ugly mom for money, but if they lose a dollar it is cardiac time. If you hit them hard, inflict financial losses.
Sure, losers like you and yours can really cause economic harm to Israel. They do have meds for your delusions.
Now take your meds, Adolf.
The isreali regime really do give squatters a bad name.
Just one reason why america still supports this regime? the joint theft of Palestinian resources. The US do the same in Ukraine and just about everywhere else they invade. The US say their presence is to spread democracy. We all know it’s for resources they can steal and sell as their own.
The Biden’s, Noble energy, et al, personify fake america. Banana republic status awaits.
It is called a pipe dream :)
One that is working as opposed to your delusional wet dreams.
Too bad the Palestinian leadership doesn’t realize that cooperation with Israel is way better for their people than continuing conflict.
Too bad on the isreali regime. Without american stupidity isreal will be an isolated outpost. Many american’s are waking up to the lies and the corruption in both their gov’ts.
You sound like that Moron Trump with his “many people” thingy all the time. What you need to do is wake up from your delusional wet dream.
Suggest looking at the Israeli-Egypt US trade Agreement, and why this pipeline is so important. Special trade status as to importation of duty free goods as long as any Egyptian goods have at least around 10-15% participation by Iisrael. If Israeli gas/ oils used in Egypt chemical and energy production, that cost Egypt for energy, but having to purchase Israel energy with no real investment in Egypt’s manufacturing facilities, .and Israel exports to US still duty free. Egypt is very large recipient of US military and other Welfare checks. Long term ME Traden Assoviation between Saudi, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and Israel that includes a very largre Industrial land area, Free Port, that at present not is not owned fully by Israel. Part of labor needs is by using Cheap labor Palestinian labor. Roads,actually monitored two traffic lanes solely leading fromand too small enclaves of Palestinian too travel upon are past planning stages, with loans from makors, TWO and EBT already petitioned and partially approved. Dig Deeper between the Official everyday BS.
I honestly think that Turkey + the US are behind this. Crazy hey ?.
N this convoluted world one can make a theoretical case of Israel doing it. Suspicious gas supply uninterupted. Good excuse for placement of military outpost spaced out along route with large military policing along it and setting up of a 5 or ten mile no entrance buffer zone along it. Egypt knows it has internal rebels that dislike their and Israel governments and would find sanctuary among Palestinian villages, ; neither like Palestinians and Egypt would like joint military actions to protect its gas needs.