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Syria, Iran condemn Israeli airstrikes

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers have condemned Israeli airstrikes on two areas near Damascus, calling it an act of aggression that proves Israel was "in the same trench" with extremist groups fighting the Syrian government. Israeli warplanes bombed the two areas Sunday, striking near Damascus’ international airport as well as outside a town close to the Lebanese border. The Syrian government said the attacks caused material damage. Israel has not commented on the strikes. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem claimed Israel was trying to compensate for losses incurred by Islamic extremist groups in Syria at the hands of the Syrian army. He did not elaborate. He spoke Monday at a joint news conference in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

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Israel strikes near the Syrian capital: Syrian TV

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian state television said on Sunday that Israeli jets had bombed areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon. An Israeli army spokesman said he would not comment on the "foreign reports". Israel has struck Syria several times since the start of the three-year conflict, mostly destroying weaponry such as missiles that Israeli officials said were destined for their long-time foe Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon. "The Israeli enemy committed aggression against Syria by targeting two safe areas in Damascus province, in all of Dimas and near the Damascus International Airport," state television said, adding that there were no casualties. Residents in Damascus said they heard loud explosions and opposition activists posted photos online of jet streams in the evening sky and fiery explosions. Syria’s army general command said on state television that there were "material losses in some […]

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Israel reconsiders military action against Iran

4728 Votes Israeli official cites “sunset clause” in proposed comprehensive deal, which guarantees Iran a path into the nuclear club and may corner Israel into war. Israel Air Force planes fly over Tel Aviv. Photo By: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT Historic negotiations with Iran will reach an inflection point on Monday, as world powers seek to clinch a comprehensive deal that will, to their satisfaction, end concerns over the nature of its vast, decade-old nuclear program. But sharing details of the deal under discussion with The Jerusalem Post on the eve of the deadline, Israel has issued a stark, public warning to its allies with a clear argument: Current proposals guarantee the perpetuation of a crisis, backing Israel into a corner from which military force against Iran provides the only logical exit. The deal on the table World powers have presented Iran with an accord that would restrict its nuclear […]

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Israel pitches ‘massive’ natural gas pipeline plan to Europe

4727 Votes Israel pitches ‘massive’ natural gas pipeline plan to Europe Israel has proposed that EU countries invest in a multi-billion euro pipeline to carry its natural gas to the continent, noting that the supply from Israel would reduce Europe’s current dependence on natural gas from Russia. A proposal for the “massive” project was introduced by Israel’s Energy Minister Silvan Shalom to energy ministers from Euro-Mediterranean countries who met in Rome earlier this week, Israel’s Channel 2 reported on Thursday. It said the project would require a multi-billion euro investment from Europe to build a pipeline from Israel’s Mediterranean cost to Cyprus, from where the gas would be carried on to Greece and Italy. The TV report said Cyprus, Greece and Italy were all supportive of the idea, and that Israel would make a formal presentation of the project to European representatives in Brussels in three weeks’ time. Gas rigs in the […]

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Report: Israel wants more U.S. gas partners

Israeli delegate in Houston hoping to drum up interest in offshore natural gas potential. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian Amit Lang, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Economy , told the Houston Chronicle that U.S. companies "might find gold" in the form of natural gas through partnerships in Israel. "All the predictions say that our gas discoveries are not done," he said in an interview published Sunday. In September, Israel’s Delek Group, alongside U.S. energy company Noble Energy, signed an agreement with the National Electric Power Co. of Jordan for natural gas deliveries from the Leviathan natural gas field off the Israeli coast to the delight of the U.S. State Department . "We probably have more gas around the Leviathan," Lang said. "And we need more companies to come get licenses for exploration." The State Department facilitated talks between the parties in February that led to the signing of a similar […]

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Noble gas output from Israel up 21 percent

Houston-based energy explorer Noble Energy sees output growing from Israeli offshore gas basins. (File/UPI/A.J. Sisco) HOUSTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) — Energy explorer Noble Energy said Tuesday production during the third quarter soared because of advancements off the coast of Israel. Noble, a partner in the development of the Tamar and Leviathan gas basins, said gas sales volumes from its Israeli assets were up 21 percent from the second quarter and up 3 percent year-on-year. Tamar managing partners Noble and Israel’s Delek Group estimate the field holds as much as 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Last week, they said they were negotiating the sale of at least 175 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year over the next three years with Egyptian buyer Dolphinus Holdings Ltd. During the third quarter, the company said the "debottlenecking" of Tamar facilities led to a peak product of more than 1.1 […]

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Egypt slated to get Israeli natural gas

Partners in control of one of Israel’s largest offshore gas fields announce export plans for Egypt. (UPI/Shutterstock/James Jones Jr.) The partnership in control of one of the largest natural gas basins off the coast of Israel announced their intention to sign an export deal with Egypt. The consortium in charge of the Tamar natural gas field, led by Texas company Noble Energy and Israel’s Delek Group, said Sunday they’re negotiating the sale of at least 175 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year over the next three years with Egyptian buyer Dolphinus Holdings Ltd. The partners managing Tamar estimate the field holds as much as 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Gas from Tamar would run through a pipeline system managed by Israel Gas lines to Ashkelon and then through a system managed by East Mediterranean Gas Ltd. for marketing to customers in Egypt. Delek said gas […]

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Israel Sees Gas as Key to Transforming Mideast Relations

After this summer’s war in Gaza battered Israel ’s international reputation, the country’s leaders say they have a new foreign policy tool to build relations with its neighbors: natural gas. By the the end of the year, Israel may have binding agreements to sell billions of dollars of gas to Egypt , Jordan and the Palestinian Authority . Preliminary talks are taking place with customers in Turkey , even though President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is among Israel’s fiercest critics. Gas may even help improve relationships in the Gaza Strip . “There are now extraordinary opportunities for Israel based on energy policy , both economically and diplomatically,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon. “This is a real game-changer of common interests and benefits for many actors in the region. It could also bring about better relations with Turkey, and with other regional actors with whom Israel is not yet […]

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Israel’s Top Oil Supplier Endures Gaza as Azeri Ties Grow

What started as a marriage of convenience has netted Israel its closest Muslim ally. The majority Shiite nation of Azerbaijan is the biggest supplier of oil to Israel, which reciprocates by selling sophisticated arms including missile systems and drones. While the flow of oil in exchange for advanced weapons is the backbone of the alliance, a confluence of interests is propelling the former Soviet republic on the Caspian Sea closer to Israel, often in defiance of discontent at home and dismay among neighbors Iran and Turkey. Tested by Israel’s 50-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip , which sparked protests among Azeris, President Ilham Aliyev is throwing his lot in with Israel to maintain a military edge in a quarter-century-long conflict with Armenia . Azerbaijan, which together with Armenia also buys Russian weapons, benefits from access to advanced technology from Israel as part of $3.7 billion in annual spending […]

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