Netanyahu may postpone a vote on a recent cabinet decision to override the Antitrust Authority and implement a controversial agreement regarding the development of Israel’s offshore natural gas reserves, Ynet reports. The vote was scheduled for this afternoon, but the prime minister is apparently concerned he may not garner enough votes to pass the motion.
According to Ynet, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Housing Minister Yoav Galant and Social Affairs Minister Haim Katz have decided not to vote in favor of the agreement.
The vote is the last legal hurdle before a partnership between the US company Noble Energy and the Delek Group of Israel makes them the sole developers of the Tamar and Leviathan natural gas reserves off the coast of Haifa.
The Tamar natural gas field off the coast of Ashkelon (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)
Noble and Delek have been selling gas to the Israeli market from the Tamar field, which went online in 2013, and have agreed to sell to neighboring countries as well. The Leviathan field, the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, has not yet been developed.
The Noble-Delek partnership has been branded a de facto monopoly by Antitrust Commissioner David Gilo.
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