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<h1><font size=4><b>Explosion in Egyptian gas pipeline disrupts Israel's
gas
supply</b></font></h1>
<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/date.gif" width=12 height=10 alt="author">
</b></h1><font size=3> Sunday February 06, 2011
01:31<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/person.gif" width=14 height=12 alt="author">
by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News <br>
<a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/60583" eudora="autourl">
http://www.imemc.org/article/60583<br><br>
</a></font>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building in the Sinai with gunfire, but later rescinded the report and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".<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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."<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
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