Egyptian MP: 'Exporting gas to Israel is a crime'

Egyptian opposition says gov't must renegotiate gas sales to Israel by June 5 or face public protest.

By THE MEDIA LINE
Egyptian parliament 248 88 (photo credit: AP [file])
Egyptian parliament 248 88
(photo credit: AP [file])
The Egyptian opposition is demanding the government renegotiates the price of gas being exported to Israel by June 5 or face public protest, the Egyptian newspaper The Daily News Egypt reported Wednesday. Protests will be held outside the pumping stations in Al-Arish and Damietta, the headquarters of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Company and the Ministry of Petroleum. Egyptian MP Esmat Al-Sadat, who is the spokesperson for the campaign, was quoted as saying that exporting gas to Israel was a crime. A statement released by the organization states that, "After all this talk of national security and regional balance and the local need for energy, this gas exportation to Israel is a real catastrophe." Al-Sadat also pointed out that Egypt would earn an additional $18 billion if the price agreed to in the original deal that was signed in 2005 were adjusted to current world prices, due to the steep rice in energy prices globally in the past few years. Ever since the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1978, there has been stiff public opposition in Egypt against normalization with Israel, ranging from business to culture. However, on the official level there is a high level of cooperation and Egyptian Intelligence chief of Omar Suleiman is frequently in Israel for discussions regarding the situation in Gaza.