The Israeli newspaper “Yediot Aharonot” stated that the gas agreement between Egypt and Lebanon raises some questions about the timing, especially in light of the long-term agreement between Egypt and Israel. It pointed out that the agreement with Lebanon may enter into force in the not-too-distant future.
The newspaper wondered whether gas coming from Israel could reach Lebanon in the future, as Lebanese laws prohibit any form of economic cooperation or contact with Israel.
It explained that Lebanon signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt last Monday to secure its natural gas needs for electricity production, and the memorandum was signed by the Lebanese Minister of Energy, Jibran Bassil, in the presence of the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi.
The newspaper quoted the Lebanese Minister of Energy as saying that his country is moving towards using natural gas and diversifying sources of supply, and that the signing of the memorandum of understanding aims to import gas from Egypt as soon as it is available.
It also pointed out that the President of the Lebanese Republic, Joseph Aoun, received the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum on the same day and confirmed that signing the memorandum of understanding with Egypt will help increase electricity production.
The newspaper reported that the Egyptian Minister affirmed that his country will provide all possible support to Lebanon, based on its experiences and capabilities in the fields of gas exploration, production, transportation, and distribution.
In contrast, “Yediot Aharonot” indicated that the energy sector in Egypt has suffered in recent years from a crisis that has turned it into a gas-importing country. It explained that the increase in demand and the decline in domestic production, in addition to changes in supplies coming from abroad, including from Israel, have caused frequent power outages for Egyptians during periods of extreme heat.
The newspaper explained that the agreement does not aim to supply Lebanon with gas immediately, due to the need for complex technical arrangements, but the timing of its signing is remarkable, as it came only two weeks after Egypt signed a major gas agreement with Israel to meet its domestic needs. The newspaper suggested that this agreement gave Egypt some confidence that enabled it to expand its regional cooperation network and enhance its position in the energy sector.
The newspaper confirmed that the agreement with Israel is long-term, and that the Lebanon agreement will not be activated soon, which raises questions about the possibility of Israeli gas reaching Lebanon in the future, despite the Lebanese legal prohibition on any economic dealings with Israel.
Regarding the future vision, “Yediot Aharonot” indicated that Egypt seeks to restore its role as a regional center for energy trade, by importing gas from other countries, then re-exporting it after liquefaction, and taking advantage of price differences.
In this regard, the newspaper quoted the head of the Egyptian State Information Service, journalist Diaa Rashwan, as saying that the agreement with Israel is “within the framework of a clear strategic interest for Egypt, which is to strengthen its position as a regional center for gas trade in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
The newspaper concluded that the gas agreement with Lebanon raises an additional dimension related to the regional environment, considering that environmental crises, from water and gas shortages to natural disasters and severe climate changes, do not recognize political borders. It pointed out that the countries of the region, including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, share one geographical space and limited resources, which makes cooperation between them necessary to meet the basic needs of the population, even if this is sometimes done through complex paths.
