Israel Steps up to the Plate

The present imbroglio in the Eastern steppes will not be the end of things. The embargo of gas to Europe will have consequences, but not what was anticipated. A former “side-player” is stepping up to the plate: Israel.

Until a few years ago, Israel was energy dependent, but no longer. Thanks to recent exploitation of gas fields off of its coast:

Israel is... independent in supplying its needs in energy. To be precise, [Israel] still use[s] imported coal and oil to produce electricity, but if forced to, Israel can rapidly adjust itself to generate all the power it needs from its own resources, mostly its natural gas. -- JPOST

And not just energy independent, Israel has gone from energy importer to a major energy exporter. This is a world-class game changer.

In landmark deal signed in Cairo, Israel to export natural gas, via Egypt, to Europe

Israel to send fuel to Egypt, which will liquify it for shipping; agreement will help European bloc reduce Russian energy dependence… -- Times of Israel, June 2022

While this present contract will not replace all the gas that Europe has lost to the present embargo, every little bit helps. And Israel seems to be finding more and more energy reserves all the time.

The discovery of another marine natural gas reservoir, announced May 9 by British natural gas company Energean, underscores Israel’s emerging status over the past decade as a regional power in the field of natural gas. The country is capable of providing not only for its own needs, but for the needs of its neighbors as well, and even for other countries around the world. -- Al-Monitor

Who knows what Israel may be able to supply in a year or two? The headlines are startling.

Israel sees gas exports to Europe boom in wake of Russian invasion of Ukraine

A surge in global demand for natural gas has resulted in a massive increase in revenues for Israel as the country seeks to boost production and its political influence – MiddleEastEye

Western Europe may find relief sooner than it thinks. What this means is that Western Europe may no longer be held hostage to the whims of Eastern and Mideastern dictatorships. No more kowtowing to thugs.

Tyrannies which have been able to support their control, financed by energy exports, may find their markets dry up and their economies crumble to dust, as Israel grabs their market share.

Israel’s natural gas production surged 22% in the first half of the year, as the government plans to ramp up exports that will make their way to Europe, where the worst energy crisis in decades is under way.

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Israel is ramping up output as European nations scour the globe for natural gas, with energy prices on the continent at record levels. The European Union is turning away from key supplier Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, while Moscow has also curbed shipments, leaving buyers rushing to find alternatives ahead of winter.  -- Bloomberg

Whenever this war ends in the Ukraine, do you think Europe will willingly go back to total dependence on Nord Stream? Of course not!

And while Israel can only make up part of the energy deficit, with a mix of some common sense -- which Europe is being forced to rediscover -- and Israel gas, Europe may end up free of dependence on despots.

Even green Germany is going back to coal. Albeit reluctantly, but still...

Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany’s decision to reactivate coal and oil-fired power plants to relieve energy shortages because of the war in Ukraine is only temporary and his government remains committed to doing “everything” to combat the climate crisis. -- Associated Press

Chancellor Scholz has to say that. He doesn’t want to admit that the climate crisis is nonsense, which would mean that decades of European policies and trillions of Euros have come to nothing. It was all a waste. The money could have been better spent otherwise, such as in preparing for this present crisis.

But who knows? This energy shock may impel Europeans to dispense with the befoggery of man-made climate change idiocies, along with the self-destructive energy policies such stupidity encouraged. Europeans may go back to sound scientific thinking… and stop listening to know-it-all teenage girls in Sweden.

It won’t happen overnight, but the process of healing has begun.

With a few years, wannabe caliphs, czars, satraps, and exalted mystic poobahs may find that no one wants to buy their output any more. Europe will have moved to more reliable energy sources. Then the economies of these export-subsidized despotisms will totally collapse, with the consequent social disruptions. Game over.

The biggest loser will be the Palestinians, who have been peddling themselves to the Europeans as innocent victims of Zionism for decades, and milking the European Union for support.

EU renews its support for the Palestinian people with a €224.8 million assistance package -- The Office of the European Union Representative

The Israelis complain that the EU funds terrorist NGOs:

EU resumes funding for six Palestinian NGOs branded as terrorists by Israel -- RFI

And the Europeans have dutifully ignored Israeli complaints.

Moreover, Israelis accuse the EU of supporting what Israel calls illegal Palestinian construction.

A report by Israel’s Intelligence Ministry sharply criticizes the European Union for funding the Palestinian Authority’s illegal “takeover” of areas that are recognized as being under Israeli sovereignty. -- Jewish News Services

But once Europe finds out where its energy will be coming from, expect a sea change in its policies.

The Palestinians will soon find out what the Jewish people have known for centuries: Europe has always been rather amoral when it comes to matters of policy. The Europeans practice Realpolitik.

In layman’s terms: After this chilly winter, once Europe realizes that it needs Israel for energy supplies, the Palestinians will be thrown under the bus… just as quickly as the Europeans once threw the Jews under the bus.

And the same will happen to a lot of Mideastern countries.

Iran may be the next hit, when the mullahs find out that -- even if sanctions are lifted -- the expected customers do not line up. Their plunge into social chaos may continue.

Turkey’s Erdogan may become enraged if becomes apparent that an anticipated gas pipeline, with its expected royalties, will bypass Turkey -- and he does not get his needed share of the bonanza. Turkey is already furious that Greek and Cypriot maritime borders lock out a lot of Turkish claims.

From the Turkish perspective, the division of economic zones in the Mediterranean is unfair and to the massive advantage of Greece, whose countless islands and thus maritime borders extend far to Turkey.

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Israel, Greece And Cyprus as sources

That is the vision of the EastMed project, a pipeline Israel is planning with Greece and Cyprus that would supply energy to the European continent. It could supply an estimated 10% of Europe's energy needs. -- World Crunch

The EastMed project will bypass Turkey altogether. No money for the wannabe Islamic Sultan; the Sublime Porte will remain broke.

A lot of tyrants are going to be surprised. Israel will be a deal breaker, and will get rich while the glorious leaders go broke.

If the democracies are smart, they will use some of the windfall to arm themselves to protect against any reaction.

Image: Fjmustak

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