JERICHO – Regarding a “great achievement” of his country, the Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated on Sunday that “the production of gas from the Carrich platform will help Europe in dealing with the energy crisis.” However, observers believe that Lapid’s comments are an attempt to capitalise on the energy crisis caused by Russia’s cutoff of gas to Europe as a result of the war in Ukraine.
According to his tweets on Twitter, Lapid’s positions came during a tour of the brand-new gas platform, days after the platform’s gas production began and a contract to demarcate Lebanon’s borders was signed.
“I conducted a security tour of the Carrich platform after the gas production there began. The State of Israel’s vibrant and prosperous future can be found here “added Lapid.
He believed that the extraction of gas from “Carrich” would “reduce energy prices in Israel, make it a regional resource for energy, and assist Europe in addressing the energy problem.”
He stressed that the border demarcation agreement with Lebanon and the continued production of gas from “Carich” will guarantee economic stability and energy for his country for many years to come and will significantly contribute to reducing the costs of living.
On Wednesday, the American company “Energy” announced the start of the process of extracting natural gas from the Israeli “Carrich” field in the Mediterranean.
As part of a test for the reverse flow, the London Energy Group started pumping gas into its floating production facility on October 9.
As the American mediator pushed for the agreement’s success and the discovery of a new source of gas in light of Russia’s theft from the gas and energy paper as a means of blackmailing the West, especially Europe, observers believe that the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine was a significant motivation to conclude the agreement.
Israel, as well as Lebanon, which is going through a financial crisis, is aware of the importance of energy resources in the region that witnessed a conflict that has lasted years.
Israeli gas claims that Europe is relying on it as a substitute for Russian supply, along with other nations like Algeria, but worries about the impending winter persist.
The South Naval Border Development Agreement was signed on Thursday by Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was then delivered by the delegations of the two nations separately to American mediator Amos Hockestin and a UN representative in the border town of Ras al-Naqura.
On the demarcation of the boundary in an oil-rich region and a natural gas-rich region in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 860 square kilometres, Lebanon and Israel engaged in indirect negotiations that lasted for two years through American mediation.
Despite the opposition from the Lebanese Hezbollah organisation, party leader Hassan Nasrallah stated following the agreement’s announcement that it is a significant outcome of “a historical triumph for Lebanon” that aims to exploit energy resources.
Israel hopes to use the Karish field to help the European energy crisis.
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