$4 billion dollar opportunity of the coast of gaza!!

[orion]

Excerpt from Michel Chossudovsky's War and Natural Gas: The Israeli Invasion and Gaza's Offshore Gas Fields:


"The military invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli Forces bears a direct relation to the control and ownership of strategic offshore gas reserves.

This is a war of conquest. Discovered in 2000, there are extensive gas reserves off the Gaza coastline.

British Gas (BG Group) and its partner, the Athens based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) owned by Lebanon's Sabbagh and Koury families, were granted oil and gas exploration rights in a 25 year agreement signed in November 1999 with the Palestinian Authority.

The rights to the offshore gas field are respectively British Gas (60 percent); Consolidated Contractors (CCC) (30 percent); and the Investment Fund of the Palestinian Authority (10 percent). (Haaretz, October 21, 2007). The PA-BG-CCC agreement includes field development and the construction of a gas pipeline.(Middle East Economic Digest, Jan 5, 2001).

The BG licence covers the entire Gazan offshore marine area, which is contiguous to several Israeli offshore gas facilities.It should be noted that 60 percent of the gas reserves along the Gaza-Israel coastline belong to Palestine.
The BG Group drilled two wells in 2000: Gaza Marine-1 and Gaza Marine-2. Reserves are estimated by British Gas to be of the order of 1.4 trillion cubic feet, valued at approximately 4 billion dollars. These are the figures made public by British Gas. The size of Palestine's gas reserves could be much larger.
Who Owns the Gas Fields?
(plz see the attachments)

The issue of sovereignty over Gaza's gas fields is crucial. From a legal standpoint, the gas reserves belong to Palestine.
The death of Yasser Arafat, the election of the Hamas government and the ruin of the Palestinian Authority have enabled Israel to establish de facto control over Gaza's offshore gas reserves.

British Gas (BG Group) has been dealing with the Tel Aviv government. In turn, the Hamas government has been bypassed in regards to exploration and development rights over the gas fields.

The election of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2001 was a major turning point. Palestine's sovereignty over the offshore gas fields was challenged in the Israeli Supreme Court. Sharon stated unequivocally that "Israel would never buy gas from Palestine" intimating that Gaza's offshore gas reserves belong to Israel.
In 2003, Ariel Sharon, vetoed an initial deal, which would allow British Gas to supply Israel with natural gas from Gaza's offshore wells. (The Independent, August 19, 2003)

The election victory of Hamas in 2006 was conducive to the demise of the Palestinian Authority, which became confined to the West Bank, under the proxy regime of Mahmoud Abbas.

In 2006, British Gas "was close to signing a deal to pump the gas to Egypt." (Times, May, 23, 2007). According to reports, British Prime Minister Tony Blair intervened on behalf of Israel with a view to shunting the agreement with Egypt.

The following year, in May 2007, the Israeli Cabinet approved a proposal by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "to buy gas from the Palestinian Authority." The proposed contract was for $4 billion, with profits of the order of $2 billion of which one billion was to go the Palestinians.

Tel Aviv, however, had no intention on sharing the revenues with Palestine. An Israeli team of negotiators was set up by the Israeli Cabinet to thrash out a deal with the BG Group, bypassing both the Hamas government and the Palestinian Authority: Read the rest".


Like the US' pursuit of oil abroad, setting up situations for justification to go to war, likewise, Israel has done the same. Hamas came legally into government, however, the Israeli government had no intention of working with them because of all what they needed to give up; claims to land, water, and now, gas. When one has the upper hand politically (being protected by the US by way of military aid and vetoes in the UN) and militarily, one doesn't need to be very compromising right? Right.

And so the Energy geopolitics continue. It's time to 'see' how the Middle East/Georgia area fits together.

Ingrid Austin
Jan 11 2009

An article on the same was also published in the Jerusalem Post,dated 18th Jan 2009.(As a ceasefire was being put in place) an excerpt reads like this;

By returning rightful control of the proceeds from the sale of the gas to the PA, as per its agreement with BG, Israel would also score important points in helping to sway public opinion in its favor.

(however)Israel should not just return control of the royalties, estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, blindly to the PA. Should Israel actually succeed in purchasing the gas from BG and comply with the PA's original contract guaranteeing it 10%, Israel must stipulate in the contract with BG that the PA will only receive royalties after Israel and the PA reach a consensus on how that money will be spent. Israel should mandate from the PA that it earmark certain percentages to go toward strengthening its school, health and infrastructure systems, all of which are in desperate need of a overhaul. Israel must also set deadlines for the PA to reach certain goals; should they not be met, the royalty payments will be immediately halted.

 

[BATMAN]

The death of Yasser Arafat, the election of the Hamas government and the ruin of the Palestinian Authority have enabled Israel to establish de facto control over Gaza's offshore gas reserves.

Here is the catch. All this cannot be accompalished without penetraiting deep inside Palestinians.
We must be careful before towing enemy lines in any form.

Any how, can we not reason Israel's attack on Gazza just before Obama's govt./oath.
May be the idea is to keep Obama involved in tough chellenges.
I doubt the complicity of officials from Bush administration with Qadima party.
Firing missiles at Israel doesnot help Palestinians, infect it is a tool to invite Israel and enabling him to acheive larger objectives.
All Israel has to do is create a provocation and fools rush in.
Why don't we understand if Israel can block food supply than it can also block arms smuggling but it close its eyes on purpose to catch the perpetrators later, when it suits better.
Palestinians must know that Israel knows every covert activity inside Palestinian territory, so they must stop it.
Hamas, Fatah, Mullahs of hizb ullah and Iranian missiles are no solution to the plight of common Palestinian.

 

[metalfalcon]

Israelis are Robbing Palestinians Big Time, They are Robbing their Ancestral Lands, Their Homes and their Natural Resources as well.

 

[BATMAN]

Israelis are Robbing Palestinians Big Time, They are Robbing their Ancestral Lands, Their Homes and their Natural Resources as well.

Lets care about the resources of Pakistan which are being robbed by our politicians.
We are not allowed ot get benifited from the resources of our country as well so what's the difference between the plight of a Palestinian and a Pakistani?
I see on the plight of Palestinian all Pakistan morn but on Plight of Pakistani Palestinian dance with indians.
I will only support that country which does not give preference to indian over a Pakistani in his job market.

 

[Pashtun]

Actually you can't blame arabs for being in bed with Indians. It's the unelected and unpopular Arab regimes that are dancing ramba samba on Pakistanis in their job markets. I have loads of arab friends and they do not support India due to Kashmir occupation.

And one must remember that none of the Arab governments (except Hamas) are democratically elected. None of them are even popular Islamic governments. They are all bunch of racist bastards in bed with U.S. to strengthen their tyrant control over masses by oppressing the voice of virtue.

I'd still help arabs to get out of this menace of controlled regimes, as well as of my own country.

We must start taking things in our hands. We must rise, we must speak out and we must not support anybody remotely corrupt.

 

[haviZsultan]

Actually you can't blame arabs for being in bed with Indians. It's the unelected and unpopular Arab regimes that are dancing ramba samba on Pakistanis in their job markets. I have loads of arab friends and they do not support India due to Kashmir occupation.

And one must remember that none of the Arab governments (except Hamas) are democratically elected. None of them are even popular Islamic governments. They are all bunch of racist bastards in bed with U.S. to strengthen their tyrant control over masses by oppressing the voice of virtue.

I'd still help arabs to get out of this menace of controlled regimes, as well as of my own country.

We must start taking things in our hands. We must rise, we must speak out and we must not support anybody remotely corrupt.

Agree with you completely.

 

[A1Kaid]

Actually you can't blame arabs for being in bed with Indians. It's the unelected and unpopular Arab regimes that are dancing ramba samba on Pakistanis in their job markets. I have loads of arab friends and they do not support India due to Kashmir occupation.

And one must remember that none of the Arab governments (except Hamas) are democratically elected. None of them are even popular Islamic governments. They are all bunch of racist bastards in bed with U.S. to strengthen their tyrant control over masses by oppressing the voice of virtue.

I'd still help arabs to get out of this menace of controlled regimes, as well as of my own country.

We must start taking things in our hands. We must rise, we must speak out and we must not support anybody remotely corrupt.

Excellent post!

Now to respond to your last comment "We must start taking things in our hands. We must rise, we must speak out and we must not support anybody remotely corrupt." It appears historically whenever you wanted to remove a brutal and corrupt tyrant or oppressive monarchy it was done through assassination and overthrowing the previous regime by any means necessary! For example, most recently in an historical perspective Pres. and corrupt leader Anwar Sadat, or Saddam, King Louis XVI of France and his wife Maria Antoinette which resulted in the Freemasonic lead French Revolution, or the United States Revolutionary War, all are fine cases in point.

We will simply have to take force, the tyrants nor their supporters will let go of their major power and wealth, they love their cozy palaces to much, and they love their Mercedez to much to every give up power...

They serve the interest not of Islam nor anything remotely noble instead they serve the only thing that has protected and shielded them from the unrest and furious Muslims in the land, and that is the Western Powers!

Where else do they get their support?

 

[orion]

Thanks again Pashtun for really understanding the reason behind this thread! Muslims do have the best trade routes (geographical locations),oil wealth and other important resources gas being one of them and to match we have the worst leaders,weak foreign policies and apologetic attitudes!Revolution is really the only way and I wish soon.a revolution in the middleeast esp spells nightmares for the likes of Israel.

Any how, can we not reason Israel's attack on Gazza just before Obama's govt./oath

True but we cannot completely rule it out either...the unilateral ceasefire by Israel just before Obama's oath does ring a few bells...afterall did they really achieve their objectives?I think not.Obama does have a tough time ahead esp since he was voted lowest on a poll called the 'Israel Factor'(being conducted since 2005 in israel,not an official one but imp anyhow since it rates the future President of USA most useful to Israel's agenda.Hilliary on the other hand ranked among the highest!)

Plus the fact that Israel was actually quite pleased abt the prospect of the American Congress having the highest no of american jews legislators ever this round (37 prev.+6 more)

"You see a Congress that is supportive of Israel, so I don't think you're going to see much of a difference. You're going to see bipartisan continuation of support for Israel," Richard Folten
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satell...57033&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle/ShowFull

The only downside for Israel is this...the appointment of George Mitchell,whom the Israelis blame to be pro-palestinian.

In December 2000, outgoing president Bill Clinton appointed Mitchell to advise him on how to reignite the "peace process" after the Palestinians rejected statehood and launched their terror war against Israel in September 2000. Mitchell presented his findings to Clinton's successor, George W. Bush, in April 2001. Mitchell asserted that Israel and the Palestinians were equally to blame for the Palestinian terror war against Israelis. He recommended that Israel end all Jewish construction outside the 1949 armistice lines, and stop fighting Palestinian terrorists

Israel probably had an idea that it wuld have to return to the tables and reconsider its tactics of intimidation,hence the withdraw near about the 20th.
Anyhow for the sake of the innocent in Gaza and humanity i do hope that Obama does carry out the 'positive' change expected of him (the drone attacks in Pak r still a pain!)and does not bow down to pressure like his predecessors.And yes hamas to actually to become more practical diplomatically than emotional fools!
Lets see how this unfolds...:fingers crossed:

 

[Pashtun]

Israel probably had an idea that it wuld have to return to the tables and reconsider its tactics of intimidation,hence the withdraw near about the 20th.
Anyhow for the sake of the innocent in Gaza and humanity i do hope that Obama does carry out the 'positive' change expected of him (the drone attacks in Pak r still a pain!)and does not bow down to pressure like his predecessors.And yes hamas to actually to become more practical diplomatically than emotional fools!
Lets see how this unfolds...:fingers crossed:

My dear Orion, it has unfolded, already, Obama clearly have said in his first ever speech on Gaza, and I quote:

"PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Let me be clear: America is committed to Israel’s security. And we will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against legitimate threats.
For years, Hamas has launched thousands of rockets at innocent Israeli citizens. No democracy can tolerate such danger to its people, nor should the international community..."

There's no clear indication for Muslims than seeing a middle finger wrapped in those golden words of President Obama. And for Pakistan, he sent a gift of hope in those two missiles that hit Waziristan yesterday, killing 22 Pakistanis.

I have lost all hopes from him (not that I had any, anyway) but the only change he is bringing at the moment is a change in the despicable unpopular faces we had seen in the previous regime, with his smiling (rather frowning for us) face.

Obama will at most, reform the US government cosmatically so it would go on committing attrocities unopposed, because that's what an Empire does. In that sense, he could be the "compassionate conservative" George Bush miserably failed to portray. In other words, he could drop bombs on civilians while running a smooth PR campaign at the same time --That, my brother, is the most grave threat to the third-world I could perceive.

Obama's election is triumph of Imperialism - Not its victims.

My friend, don't keep no hopes. Take the matters in your hand. After all, until "when" we are to beg the pigs of the west for the justice of the injustices they inflicted upon us?

It's time to take things in our own hands and watch for our own interests, even if it has to become bloody and result in isolation from the so called International Community (that is good for nothing).

 

[ju87]

Actually you can't blame arabs for being in bed with Indians. It's the unelected and unpopular Arab regimes that are dancing ramba samba on Pakistanis in their job markets. I have loads of arab friends and they do not support India due to Kashmir occupation.

And one must remember that none of the Arab governments (except Hamas) are democratically elected. None of them are even popular Islamic governments. They are all bunch of racist bastards in bed with U.S. to strengthen their tyrant control over masses by oppressing the voice of virtue.

I'd still help arabs to get out of this menace of controlled regimes, as well as of my own country.

We must start taking things in our hands. We must rise, we must speak out and we must not support anybody remotely corrupt.

Y'know, being pro-Indian does not necessarily mean being anti-Pakistani. Arabs are looking out for their own business, for which India happens to be a bigger partner. When will Pakistanis learn that there are no permanent friends in this world, only permanent interests? Don't expect Arabs to support you out of some bleeding heart whining.

As for revolutions in Arab world, they have been tried in the past, but the revolutionaries in most cases have been as incompetent as the monarchies they replaced. Pan-Arabism has been out of fashion since 1970s. Instead, what is happening in the Gulf states specifically, is a gradual devolution of power. Kuwait, Bahrain and UAE all have started elections, real parliaments and political parties.

 

[Pashtun]

Y'know, being pro-Indian does not necessarily mean being anti-Pakistani. Arabs are looking out for their own business, for which India happens to be a bigger partner. When will Pakistanis learn that there are no permanent friends in this world, only permanent interests? Don't expect Arabs to support you out of some bleeding heart whining.

As for revolutions in Arab world, they have been tried in the past, but the revolutionaries in most cases have been as incompetent as the monarchies they replaced. Pan-Arabism has been out of fashion since 1970s. Instead, what is happening in the Gulf states specifically, is a gradual devolution of power. Kuwait, Bahrain and UAE all have started elections, real parliaments and political parties.

Well I have been reading stuff from top indian officials and analysts that stable Pakistan is a threat to India, so I guess being Pro-Indian, does reflect being Anti-Pakistan, so to speak? Obviously I am not going to call out 1.2 billion people taking a piss at us, but the majority, does. And you can't deny that.

Moreover, what you said about the Arab regimes being this n that, looking for their own interests and we are whining for not having their support, I guess you have to read my post again, that the masses in Arab world does not support anything Indian, or western, they only support the religious identity and the people oppressed. Perhaps you do not know anything about Muslim identity and its characteristics.

Give it a thought again, the sooner people in arab world will start electing the government of their choice (free and fair), you'd find out the turn in tide. It has nothing to do with Trade Parternships or interests!

 

[hasang20]

is $4Billion going to bring the back of the lives of loved ones....who ever lost thier loved ones knows the feelings.

 

[ju87]

Well I have been reading stuff from top indian officials and analysts that stable Pakistan is a threat to India, so I guess being Pro-Indian, does reflect being Anti-Pakistan, so to speak? Obviously I am not going to call out 1.2 billion people taking a piss at us, but the majority, does. And you can't deny that.

Moreover, what you said about the Arab regimes being this n that, looking for their own interests and we are whining for not having their support, I guess you have to read my post again, that the masses in Arab world does not support anything Indian, or western, they only support the religious identity and the people oppressed. Perhaps you do not know anything about Muslim identity and its characteristics.

Give it a thought again, the sooner people in arab world will start electing the government of their choice (free and fair), you'd find out the turn in tide. It has nothing to do with Trade Parternships or interests!

No, you have it completely wrong. Most Indian analysts think a stable Pakistan is necessary for a stable India. Show me statements from Indian govt stating otherwise. The 1.2 billion people don't like being pissed on by Pakistan which is why they hate you. But let's stick to the topic here.

Look at the marginally democratic countries of the Arab world - Egypt and Iran for example. Both have very good relations with India. Jamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt led the Non Aligned Movement in the 50's with Nehru and Tito.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that the Muslim unity (Pan Islamism) is utter crock. History has proven that local benefit trumps global concerns. If Arab locals stand to make money from India and send their kids to college and have a decent life, why would they support Pakistan against India?

 

[Pashtun]

No, you have it completely wrong. Most Indian analysts think a stable Pakistan is necessary for a stable India. Show me statements from Indian govt stating otherwise. The 1.2 billion people don't like being pissed on by Pakistan which is why they hate you. But let's stick to the topic here.

Well you proved my point that most of you are anti-pakistan, didn't you? So I guess you can save the sweet talk of "not being anti-pakistani" for the later use, where it actually can go unnotice. And perhaps, Bharat verma's responses on what one should do with Pakistan, including some of your old generals and politicians, that want to "deal" with Pakistan before its undealable, have no resonance on you? I can see why. Nevermind. Denial is not a river in India.

Look at the marginally democratic countries of the Arab world - Egypt and Iran for example. Both have very good relations with India. Jamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt led the Non Aligned Movement in the 50's with Nehru and Tito.

Egypt is a democractic govt.? what the...? your entire argument after that falls flat on its shoulder. Unless you get your facts straight, do not comment on something that is not for you to comment on.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that the Muslim unity (Pan Islamism) is utter crock.

Yeah, its funny now isn't it? a little birdy once told me it's the pan-islamism, what makes 'their' bones crack. If Pan'ism was anything less than important and fruitful, the Europe wouldn't have made European Union, the North America wouldn't have gone into bed with NAFTA, the Africa would not be under AU, and the Latin America wouldn't be forming a UNASUR. All Pan-Unions of people with similar identity and religion (tho some would call themselves Secular ha!).

History has proven that local benefit trumps global concerns. If Arab locals stand to make money from India and send their kids to college and have a decent life, why would they support Pakistan against India?

That is what you are not able to understand. There's no elected government in Arab world. All are bloody tyrant dictators, directly in bed with west, who direct the governance of their countries by oppressing the voice of masses and forcing all the regimes from supporting their own creed and kin.

The last thing West would want is a popular government in the middle east, which will overthrow all western interests.

And trust me, it's not about money making. Trade takes place even between enemies. Its the nature of the world we live in. It's about politics of the middle east!

 

[orion]

is $4Billion going to bring the back of the lives of loved ones....who ever lost thier loved ones knows the feelings.

True u can't bring back the lives lost in the genocide but the post is not abt $4 billion ,its abt the fact that the resources of gaza belong to the palestinians and not to the brute neighbour which may yet again be trying to snatch away whtever belongs to them.
The ugly truth of israel's agendas.