UAE oil deal on the rocks in Israel over environmental concerns
Israel’s environmental protection ministry has announced that it intends to delay a controversial oil export deal with the United Arab Emirates.
An oil export deal between Israel and the UAE that was agreed following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries last year, has hit a snag after environmental activists mounted a legal challenge.
The agreement would have entailed oil being brought by tanker to the Red Sea port of Eilat and then moved by pipeline through Israel to the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon, from where it would be shipped to Europe.
However, Israel’s environmental protection ministry said the original risk assessment “did not meet the conditions” stipulated by the ministry, and was therefore not valid.
The ministry told the Europe-Asia Pipeline Company in a letter it was “delaying the evaluation of your preparations to increase activity in the Eilat port, until the government has a discussion and reaches a decision”.
