JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen says his refusal to sign a $35 billion gas deal with Egypt has forced the U.S. energy minister to cancel a planned visit to Israel.
Prime Minister Cohen’s office issued a statement Thursday night saying U.S. officials were “putting tremendous pressure on Israeli officials” to approve the deal, but the minister said he would refuse to do so “until Israel’s interests are secured and a fair price for the Israeli market is agreed.”
The move prompted U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright to cancel a visit to Israel, according to a statement. Wright’s office did not respond to a request for comment early Friday. U.S. officials in Israel declined to comment. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment.
Cohen’s refusal to sign the deal appears to freeze progress on what his office claims will be the largest gas export deal in Israeli history, exporting natural gas from the Leviathan gas field to Egypt.
The gas field is located in the Mediterranean Sea, 130 kilometers (80 miles) off the coast of northern Israel, according to Chevron, the American gas company that operates the field.
Mr. Cohen’s move risks deteriorating Israel’s relations with the United States and Egypt, which are the main mediators of the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire, which has halted hostilities for more than two years. A statement from Cohen’s office said efforts were being made to resolve “political issues between Israel and Egypt” but provided no further details.
