Egypt's Gas 'Need' Aligns Precisely With Israel's Export Surplus
The New Arab rightly points out Egypt’s increasing reliance on Israeli gas, driven by declining domestic production and ambitious LNG export goals. But here's what they tiptoe around: this isn't just about supply and demand; it's about a skillfully cultivated dependence. Israel's Leviathan gas field, discovered 2010, became a geopolitical lever. Egypt, once a regional energy player, now finds
itself importing over 8 billion cubic meters (BCM) of Israeli gas annually, only to re-export processed LNG. This circular arrangement, lauded as 'regional energy integration,' conveniently makes Egypt a bottleneck for Israeli gas to Europe, boosting Tel Aviv's strategic importance and economic ties, while Egypt risks political instability just to run the faucet. One might wonder if decades of
U.S. aid to both countries (Egypt receiving ~$1.3 billion/year since Camp David, Israel over $3.8 billion/year, according to USAID and congressional budgets) somehow fostered a regional 'cooperation' that benefits everyone symmetricaly. Or if, perhaps, it created a client-state dynamic where 'necessity' is manufactured, rather than organically arising. How many times does an ally need aid before
they 'need' your gas?