Israel’s energy minister set to visit Egypt to discuss gas supply to Europe

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar is scheduled to visit Egypt on Wednesday to hold talks with top Egyptian officials on the issue of exporting natural gas to Europe, Israeli media reported.

The Israeli i24 news channel said Tuesday that Elharrar will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other senior officials including Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Tarek El-Molla to sign a deal which calls for transferring the gas from Israel to Egypt via existing pipelines and then liquefying it in Egypt before exporting it to Europe.

The Egyptian authorities have yet to comment on the visit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the Israeli move.

"I am grateful that Israel will increase its supply of energy to the EU," she said on Twitter, adding that "a trilateral agreement on gas between Israel, the EU and Egypt" will be signed on Wednesday.

Following Russia’s launch of its war on Ukraine, the EU has sought to reduce its dependency on energy supplies from Russia and has searched for energy deals with other countries, including Israel.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar