Israel considering pipeline to Turkey to increase gas exports

A Turkey-Israel gas pipeline is once again on the table: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed an inter-ministerial team to examine alternatives to Israel's current gas exports. 

One of the options being considered is the construction of a underwater pipeline from Turkey to Israel's largest offshore natural gas field, Leviathan. Under the plan, gas will be directed to Turkey and subsequently to southern European nations aiming to decrease their reliance on the Russian pipeline.

The proposed pipeline aims to link the key Turkish-European pipeline with the abundant gas reserves in Israel and neighboring areas such as Egypt and the UAE. The initiative seeks to establish a viable alternative gas supply for Europe, as the region looks to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.

The order to establish the team was given in a meeting attended by the Prime Minister together with Energy Minister Israel Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Israel's National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi. It comes amid a push by the companies owning the reservoir to increase its gas exports.

Last week, Israel's Energy Minister Israel Katz approved the increase of gas exports from the Tamar reservoir to Egypt. For years, Turkey has pressured Israel to build the pipeline, but Jerusalem feared the move could harm its relations with Turkey's neighbors Cyprus and Greece, and with the project planned to run through their waters in the eastern Mediterranean.

Netanyahu is set to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the coming weeks amid the latest warming of ties between the two nations. The meeting, originally planned for July 28 was postponed after Netanyahu was forced to undergo an operation to implant a pacemaker last month.

Both Netanyahu and Israel's President Isaac Herzog congratulated Erdogan after he won Turkey's latest presidential election in May, discussing the deepening relations between the two countries.