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Will duplicate TAP, Israel reopens debate on Mediterranean gas pipeline
The idea of building another gas pipeline connecting the Middle East to the Mediterranean is on the rise. For several years, the idea of a pipeline from Israel, to Greece, Italy and then to the EU has been circulating. But due to costs, this has not become a reality.
However, according to the Greek media outlet " News Bomb ", Israel's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen, stated today that the proposal to build a natural gas pipeline from Israel's reserves to Europe has returned to the agenda, following a meeting with the energy ministers of Greece, Cyprus and the United States.
" There has been significant progress on the feasibility of building the pipeline. This is an idea that has been discussed in the past and is now returning to its peak. The Americans are now ready to take a leading role ," Cohen said.
The pipeline appears to be an alternative route for Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. Cohen noted that the Trump administration considers energy a national security issue, which increases the chances that the project will move forward.
" The goal is to create an energy corridor that will provide an alternative route for Russian energy and also bypass the Houthis. For the Europeans, the goal is of course to reduce prices ," the minister added.
The meeting was attended by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, the Greek Minister of Energy, the Cypriot Minister of Energy, as well as US Secretary of the Interior Doug Bergham, a close Trump ally.
The ministers discussed the promotion of regional interests, joint energy projects, the creation of an energy corridor from the Middle East to Europe through the Gulf and Israel, as well as the development of land connections through electrical cables and natural gas pipelines.
The initiative was not welcomed by everyone. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who wants to participate in any Mediterranean pipeline project, was blocked, as Israel, Greece and Cyprus do not want Turkish participation.
“ The war in Gaza is over and now the goal is to expand the Abraham Accords, so this is an important step. There is the IMEC energy corridor plan, proposed by the Biden and Trump administrations, which aims to connect India to Europe. The central idea is to transfer resources from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to Europe ,” Cohen said.
"EastMed" duplicates the Trans-Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic (TAP) projects, which transport gas from Azerbaijan through Turkey, Greece and Albania to the EU. So if it is built, the pipeline that passes through Albania is out of the question. / Pamphlet
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