Egypt says gas deal with Israel is ‘purely commercial’

Natural state statement worthy astir $35bn comes amid frayed relations implicit Israel’s genocidal warfare successful Gaza.

Egypt has said that Cairo’s earthy gas deal with Israel is simply a “purely commercial” statement and that determination are nary “political dimensions” to the deal.

On Thursday, Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS)  said the statement was struck by backstage vigor companies nether marketplace rules and without authorities involvement.

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“The woody is simply a purely commercialized transaction concluded connected the ground of strictly economical and concern considerations, and entails nary governmental dimensions oregon understandings of immoderate kind,” SIS main Diaa Rashwan said successful a statement.

“The statement serves a wide strategical involvement for Egypt, namely strengthening its presumption arsenic the sole determination hub for state trading successful the Eastern Mediterranean,” Rashwan added.

Egypt’s announcement came aft Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the support of the state statement with Egypt connected Wednesday evening and called it “the largest state woody successful Israel’s history”.

“Today, I approved the largest state woody successful Israel’s history. The woody is worthy 112 cardinal shekels [$34.7bn]. Of this total, 58 cardinal shekels [$18bn] volition spell to the authorities coffers,” Netanyahu said during a televised code successful Israel, alongside vigor curate Eli Cohen.

“The statement is with the American institution Chevron, with Israeli partners who volition proviso state to Egypt,” Netanyahu added.

Israel had signed the export statement successful August with Chevron and its partners to proviso up to $35bn of state to Egypt from the Leviathan earthy state field.

But according to a study by the paper Israel Hayom, successful September, Netanyahu had instructed that the state statement with Egypt should not determination guardant without his approval. His instructions came amid Israel’s allegations that Cairo had “violated the bid treaty” signed betwixt the 2 countries done subject deployments successful Sinai – claims that Egypt has denied.

On March 26, 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a bid pact successful Washington, DC pursuing the 1978 Camp David Accords. Its cardinal provisions see ending the authorities of war, normalising relations, the afloat withdrawal of Israeli subject forces and civilians from the Sinai Peninsula, and keeping the country demilitarised.

According to CNN, Netanyahu’s announcement of the state woody connected Wednesday comes amid unit from US President Donald Trump, who has been trying to organise a gathering betwixt Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Netanyahu.

Relations betwixt the 2 leaders person been frayed, and they person not met publically successful years.

Tensions besides intensified aft Israel’s genocide successful Gaza began.

Egypt has been a vocal professional of Israel’s actions successful Gaza and played a cardinal relation successful mediating a ceasefire successful the enclave.

But the truce is fragile and continues to fray amid a deepening humanitarian exigency crossed the Strip.