CEO of Eco Energy: The electricity that Lebanon will import from Jordan is mostly produced from Israeli gas | Israel Today

"Lebanon, which is suffering from a very severe electricity shortage, is supposed to start importing electricity from Jordan, about 80% of which is produced from natural gas from Israel, so that paradoxically the lights in Hassan Nasrallah's house will actually be lit using Israeli gas."

This is what Dr. Amit Moore, CEO of Eco Energy for Strategic Economic Consulting and senior lecturer at Reichman University, tells Israel Today, following the threatening messages sent by the Hezbollah leader this weekend towards Israel, with the arrival of a shark rig in the territorial waters of Israel, according to which "the enemy should be prevented from producing gas in a shark rig."

According to Dr. Moore, the paradox will intensify when Lebanon begins to receive gas from Egypt: "The Lebanese electricity company is soon to, through a circular deal with the Egyptian gas company, begin to receive natural gas from Israel for the benefit of the power plant in Tripoli.

The gas will come through Jordan and Syria at a cost of 0.5 BCM per year, at a cost of about $ 100 million. "

The rig that angered the Lebanese was supposed to arrive in Israel two years ago, but due to the corona, its arrival was delayed, and the obvious question is why the issue has arisen again just now.

As you may recall, early last week, the Lebanese prime minister and president also said that Israel was engaging in "a provocation that could ignite tensions."

But while the threats from Lebanon are escalating, Israel does not seem to be excited: political figures and experts in the gas market believe that the purpose of the threats is to serve the political needs of the Lebanese transitional government, as well as expedite the two-year negotiations over Israel and Lebanon.

Politics and reality

As far as Israel is concerned, a shark rig has been stationed in an area under its full control, south of the "disputed territory" discussed in negotiations between Israel and the Lebanese, mediated by the Americans, for more than two years.

According to geologists, this is a territory with a high potential for natural gas discoveries.

The American mediator, Amos Hochstein, is expected to arrive in Lebanon tomorrow to resume negotiations between the two countries.

Map of the maritime area in dispute between Israel and Lebanon, Photo: Source: Ministry of Energy

As this is a disputed area, gas and oil exploration are not currently taking place there.

This is while Lebanon is suffering from an energy crisis that has intensified recently due to the jump in energy prices.

The supply of electricity in Lebanon is limited to 2-4 hours a day, and the electricity is produced from fuel oil and diesel, whose prices have soared recently following the war between Russia and Ukraine.

"The recent statements by leaders in Lebanon and Nasrallah have been made for political purposes," explains Dr. Moore.

According to Moore, "If the dispute over the sea border is not resolved, Lebanon has something to lose, mainly due to the delay in gas exploration in Blocks 8 and 9, where, according to geological surveys, there is potential for major gas discoveries. Political claims on the one hand, and economic reality on the other." .

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