Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Dec 18: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced that his government has approved a major natural gas export agreement with Egypt worth about $35 billion, calling it the largest deal in Israel’s history in terms of value and export volume.

Israel’s Channel 14 quoted Netanyahu as describing the agreement as a significant “economic and strategic achievement”. Under the deal, natural gas will be exported over several years from Israeli-occupied offshore fields, primarily the Leviathan gas field, to Egypt in large quantities.

The agreement marks a notable shift, as Egypt had in recent years achieved relative self-sufficiency in natural gas and had even exported the fuel during certain periods.

However, the Egyptian government has not yet issued any official statement confirming the deal or outlining its key terms, including pricing, supply volumes, contract duration or implementation mechanisms. The lack of clarity has triggered questions and debate within Egyptian economic and media circles.

Observers suggest that Israel’s unilateral announcement reflects the sensitivity of the issue within Egypt, where importing gas from Israel has frequently sparked public discussion over energy security and economic sovereignty.