I24News.tv..
09 October '13..
This week, the Israeli government approved an ambitious railway project that will connect the Red Sea port of Eilat to the Mediterranean port of Ashdod. The ultimate purpose of this railway is to become a “land bridge” for goods transported between Europe and Asia and thus to compete with the Suez Canal. The construction of the railway might be undertaken by a Chinese company, a prospect that has drawn criticism from former Mossad director Efraim Halevy, who claims that awarding the project to a Chinese company would be detrimental to Israel’s relations with the United States and with Europe. Actually, the very opposite is true.
In January 2009, Israel’s economy and international stature were transformed overnight when the Texan firm Noble Energy discovered gas in the Tamar field in the eastern Mediterranean. This field is estimated to contain 9.7 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas, which amount to over half of what the European Union’s 28 nations consume annually. Two years later, in 2011, Noble Energy discovered a huge gas field, Leviathan, which is now estimated to contain 18 trillion TCF. Leviathan alone contains about as much gas as what Europe consumes annually.
Europe is facing a major gas supply crisis due to the spread of instability in Algeria and the rest of North Africa, and because it is eager to reduce its dependence on Russia’s natural gas. About 20% of Europe’s gas supplies come from collapsing states whose populations are reverting to tribalism and to Islamism. The revolts and instability in the Arab world and in Turkey in the past two years have reminded Europe of the potential unreliability of gas and oil supplies from the Middle East and from North Africa. This presents a golden opportunity for Israel to offer Europe an alternative natural gas supply.
Asia may also emerge as an export destination for Israel’s gas. The Australian firm Woodside, which acquired about a third of the rights to the Leviathan field, gives preference to marketing gas in Asia.
The Israeli “land bridge” between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean will enable Israel to leverage the supply of marginally critical amounts of gas to both Europe and Asia. There are serious questions about the viability of the Suez Canal as a major European-Asian transit route because of growing political instability in Egypt.
A cross-Israel railway, as well as a cross-Israel natural gas pipeline, could transform Israel into a major trans-ocean passageway, connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas and turning Israel into a major trade and transport route alternative to Suez. The new railway could also become a conduit for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as Israel is contemplating the construction of LNG terminals at both ends of the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline..
Since China has become a huge energy consumer, Israeli natural gas would likely mitigate China’s pro-Iranian policy, a policy dictated by Iran’s natural gas resources. And since China would likely become a major consumer of future Israel gas exports, it does make sense to involve China in the construction of the infrastructures that will deliver Israel’s gas to Asia. Were China to become less supportive of Iran thanks to the diversification of its gas imports, the United States would only benefit. As opposed to Israeli arms sales to China, which did draw criticism from the United States in the past, involving China in Israel’s energy revolution would not affect America’s strategic interests.
The very idea that Israel shouldn’t get too close to China for fear of crossing America caused great damage to Israel’s strategic interests in Asia in the past. This mistake should not be repeated. In 1954, the government of Communist China offered to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. But the Israeli government thought at the time that establishing full diplomatic relations with China would incur the ire of the United States, and so Israel rejected China’s request. This was a miscalculation that cost Israel dearly. China embarked on a pro-Arab foreign policy.
The geopolitical context is admittedly different today. But the idea that Israel should forfeit its relations with China so as not to cross the United States is as today as it was in 1954. Israel’s emergence as an energy exporter will create some leverage on China’s Middle East policy, in a way that will serve both Israeli and American interests. The Israeli “land bridge” between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean will constitute a critical element of that strategy, especially if it is built by a Chinese company.
Link: http://www.i24news.tv/en/opinion/131009-israel-must-not-miss-a-second-opportunity-with-china
Dr. Emmanuel Navon heads the Political Science and Communication Department at the Jerusalem Orthodox College, and teaches International Relations at Tel-Aviv University and at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center. He is a Senior Fellow at the Kohelet Policy Forum.
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.
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