Israel on the Road to Energy Autonomy, Russia Scraps Pipeline

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, June 16, 2010

The prospect of an energy independent Israel, thanks to newly-discovered offshore gas fields, has forced Russia to scrap plans to extend a new gas pipeline that would include Israel.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the “Blue Steam II most likely will not be extended to Israel for purely financial reasons” and that Israel is unlikely to need this [Russian] gas.” He rejected the suggestion that Russia was imposing sanctions against Israel.

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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that the extension to Israel was cancelled as part of a general boycott of the Jewish State since the flotilla clash on May 31, when nine Turkish terror activists were killed after assaulting Israeli Navy commandos, who stopped the ship from continuing on its route to Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Russia and Turkey agreed in March to build the second section of the pipeline, linking the two countries via the Black Sea and extending it to Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

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