The Gas Games: The Middle East Struggle for Gaza's Gas About two weeks ago the Egyptian Minister of Energy, Tareq al-Mula, visited Israel. During his talks, he learned about the deal between Qatar and Hamas for the sale of gas to Gaza from the reservoir of a fuel company. The news caused a change in the Egyptian minister's plans, and he traveled to Ramallah to sign a gas production project from the reservoir off the coast of Gaza. The project is to be carried out by the Palestinian Investment Fund (PIF), which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. This is emblematic of a great power struggle in the Middle East. On the one hand Qatar and Turkey, and the other the Sunni allies: Egypt, the Gulf, and Saudi Arabia- which are also allies of Israel. The Egyptian minister arrived in Israel to hold meetings on cooperation in the Mediterranean, in which Israel, Egypt, and the Gulf states work on gas in cooperation with Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, while France is also a partner in the military aspect. The navies of France and Turkey have repeatedly faced conflict in Libya and near Cyprus. The real agreement that Egypt is interested in is the transfer of Egypt's gas to Gaza, but only with the agreement of Ramallah. According to the Egyptian plan, Gaza will then be connected to Egypt's electricity grid, thereby eliminating Qatar from Gaza, or at least greatly weakening its influence, and in a confrontation between Hamas and the PLO, the PLO status will be strengthened. Ramallah understands that if Hamas gains control of the gas money, there will be no stopping its final disengagement from Ramallah, while if Ramallah receives the gas money, it will disengage from dependence on foreign aid funds. There is an opinion that the whole issue of removing Fatah from Gaza by Hamas in 2007 was because Hamas suspected that Ramallah was about to sign a deal with British Gas for the development of the naval gas field off Gaza. Hamas has realized that a Ramallah rich from Gaza's gas reserves, is not in its interest. This concern still exists, and this draw between Gaza and Ramallah could very well be the reason why no plan will be implemented right now. Source: The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs ?? IF YOU LOVE ISRAEL - SHARE NEWSRAEL! ??