The pipeline transporting gas from Egypt to Israel has been targeted for the fourth time since the fall of the Egyptian Mubarak regime in February. The attacks are a response to accusations that Egyptian authorities are selling gas to Israel below market rates. The attack was near the Egyptian town of al Arish.
Witnesses to an attack on a gas pipeline linking Egyptian gas to Israel claim masked men attacked the al Tawil security guard guarding the pipeline and laid explosives on Tuesday morning before withdrawing. The security guard and some of his family members were believed to be hurt in the incident.
The attacks result from accusations that Egypt sells natural gas at below market rates to Israel, an accusation that contributed to the fall of the Mubarak regime in Egypt last February.
Responding to the attacks National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau told Army Radio on Tuesday morning that Israel’s economic ties with Egypt were being eroded, according to JPost. The Minister, explaining that he expected energy costs to go up by 20% as a result of the attacks, stated that ‘electricity disruptions are not expected since we have other energy reserves, however it will be more expensive.’
In April Egypts PM Essam Shraf called for the review of all contracts for the supply of gas so it ‘would be sold with deserved prices that achieve the highest returns for Egypt.’
Israel claims that it pays market rates for the gas.
