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A natural gas drilling rig |
Egyptian
geologist Khaled Odeh says Israel has taken over two natural gas wells located
in Egypt’s territorial waters.
Odeh
said in Cairo on Monday that the wells are located in the Mediterranean Sea
between Egypt and Cyprus, IRNA reported.
He
added that Israel took advantage of Egyptian officials’ inaction and started
drilling operations in the area in April 2012.
Odeh
also stated that the wells are over gas fields containing about $100 billion
worth of gas reserves.
One
of the wells is 19 km north of the Egyptian city of Damietta and 235 km west of
Haifa in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the other well is 114 km
north of Damietta and 237 km from the shores of Palestine.
The
issue of supplying gas to Israel has always been a contentious topic for
Egyptians, who view Israel as an enemy and oppose engaging in any form of
business with it.
According
to a $2.5 billion export deal with Tel Aviv, signed in 2005, Israel receives
around 40 percent of its gas supply from Egypt at an extremely low price.
Relations
between Cairo and Tel Aviv have deteriorated since last year's revolution that
overthrew former dictator Hosni Mubarak, a long-time and staunch ally of
Israel.
(press tv)
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