Biden Administration Kills Israel-to-Europe Gas Pipeline

The Biden administration has abruptly withdrawn American support for the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) pipeline, a project aimed at shipping natural gas from Israel to European markets

• Biden's decision - reportedly coordinated with Turkey but reached without consulting Israel, Greece or Cyprus - undercuts three of the strongest American allies in the Mediterranean region.
• The White House said the project was antithetical to its "climate goals," but in reaching its decision, which effectively kills EastMed, the White House appears to have caved to pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

EastMed Pipeline

• The project envisages the construction of a 1,900-kilometer (1,180-mile) undersea pipeline that would carry up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Israeli and Cypriot waters to Crete and then on to the Greek mainland.
• From there, the gas would be transported to Italy and other countries in southeastern Europe.

The demise of the EastMed pipeline project appears to be the handiwork of Amos Hochstein, a political operator in the American Democratic Party and an acolyte of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and former U.S. President Barack Obama.

• In 2021, the Biden administration approved completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would double shipments of Russian natural gas to Germany by transporting the gas under the Baltic Sea
• Both the Obama and Trump administrations opposed the project on the grounds that it would strengthen Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic and political influence over Europe.

Turkish Opposition

• Turkey has challenged the EastMed project by attempting to expand its claims over gas-rich areas of the Mediterranean Sea.
• In November 2019, Turkey and Libya reached a bilateral agreement on maritime boundaries in the southeastern Mediterranean Sea that appeared aimed at giving Turkey more leverage over the project.
• The European Union dismissed the Turkey-Libya deal as inconsistent with international law.

Select Commentary

• In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Nicole Malliotakis, and Tom Price wrote: "We write in stark opposition to the Biden Administration's change of course on the EastMed pipeline project. The EastMed Pipeline would not only alleviate future shortages of natural gas to Europe but would promote energy independence and economic prosperity for our strategic allies of Greece, Israel and Cyprus.
• Biden's announcement last May to suspend sanctions on the Russian pipeline and his continued fight against sanctions shows clear preference towards Russia over our allies. "We hope you and President Biden recognize the significant national security implications the United States and our European allies are facing because of European reliance on Russian gas."

 

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18232/israel-europe-gas-pipeline