Eli Kohen did not sign the contract, pointing out that a “fair price for the Israeli market” must first be established, which would protect the country's interests.
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Why did the US Secretary of Energy cancel his visit to Israel?
What contract did Eli Kohen want to sign?
What does the contract for the sale of gas to Egypt include?
What are the Israeli Finance Ministry's concerns regarding gas?
The initially approved agreement assumed the delivery of 130 billion cubic meters to Egypt by 2040. gas extracted from the Lewiatan undersea deposit located off the coast of Israel. It would be the largest export deal in Israel's history.
US pressure did not help
The American government put strong pressure on the Kohen and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to sign the contract, Ynet reported.
The American energy company Chevron, which operates the Lewiatan field, also pressed pressure to finalize the contract, added the “Israel Hayom” daily.
The Lewiatan deposit is one of the largest undersea gas deposits in the world. The raw material began to be extracted in 2019. Most of the gas obtained from this source is exported. So far, 23.5 billion cubic meters have been sent to Egypt. raw material. According to the current agreement, 60 billion cubic meters are to be delivered there by the beginning of the 2030s.
In early 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Finance warned that domestic gas consumption would grow faster than expected and the country could face a shortage of the fuel within 25 years.
Kohen's statement rejecting the contract is a rare case of public disagreement with the U.S. administration's position by an Israeli official, the Times of Israel noted. It added that such a stance could cause further tensions as the US presses for Israel to maintain a fragile truce in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
