Israel confirms it will sign deal for EastMed gas pipeline

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel, Greece and Cyprus will a sign a deal in early January for an eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s office said Sunday the agreement for the EastMed pipeline would be signed in Athens on January 2.

Netanyahu says he and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz will fly to Greece to sign the deal, which will “contribute to the energy security of Europe and prosperity in Israel and the eastern Mediterranean.”

The project is expected to make Cyprus, Greece and Israel key links in Europe’s energy supply chain and aims to stymie Turkey’s effort to extend its control to the eastern Mediterranean.

The 2,000-kilometer (1,200-mile) pipeline will be able to transfer between nine and 12 billion cubic meters a year from offshore gas reserves between Israel and Cyprus to Greece, and then on to Italy and other southeastern European countries.

— with AFP

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