[News] Explosion in Egyptian gas pipeline disrupts Israel's gas supply

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Explosion in Egyptian gas pipeline disrupts Israel's gas supply

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  Sunday February 06, 2011 01:31
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 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News
http://www.imemc.org/article/60583

An explosion Friday morning took out a natural gas pipeline in the 
northern Sinai in Egypt, near the border with Israel. Egyptian 
national television initially reported that "foreign elements" had 
sabotaged the pipeline in multiple places, and attacked a government 
building in the Sinai with gunfire, but later rescinded the report 
and claimed that the pipeline explosion was an "accident".

Right after the explosion, the governor of the province appeared on 
Egyptian national television, saying that the explosion was an 
orchestrated attack, and blamed it on 'foreign elements', who he also 
claimed were inciting protests against the current President.

In addition, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz quoted an unnamed 
security source in the Sinai, who said that the pipeline explosion 
was an act of sabotage, adding, "We are now relying on Bedouin 
leadership in the areas surrounding to help security apparatus with 
the investigation and give us hints of any other destructive acts. As 
soon as the gas lines are attacked, the system suspends the flow immediately."

Tensions between the current Egyptian government and the Bedouins of 
the northern Sinai have existed for many years, with many Bedouins 
feeling they are excluded, and do not have a voice in the government.

Egypt supplies around 40% of Israel's natural gas, which is piped 
across the border and sold at a heavily discounted rate, on terms 
negotiated between the current Egyptian regime and the Israeli 
government. The same Egyptian source also supplies gas to Jordan and 
Syria, who pay over twice as much per unit of gas as their Israeli 
counterparts.




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