On Sunday, Israel’s prime minister proposed the construction of infrastructure initiatives like a fiber optic cable that would connect nations in Asia and the Arabian Peninsula with Europe via Israel and Cyprus.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he is “quite confident” that an infrastructure “corridor” connecting Asia to Europe via Israel and Cyprus can be built.
Such initiatives, according to him, might materialize if Israel normalizes relations with neighboring nations.
The Abraham Accords of 2020, which were mediated by the United States, restored diplomatic connections between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, and the Biden administration is working to reinstate diplomatic ties with Israel and Saudi Arabia.
“A fiber optic link is the best and most obvious illustration. The quickest way is that one. The best route is that one. After speaking with the president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, Netanyahu declared that it was the most economical approach.
The Israeli prime minister’s appeal is an expansion of suggested energy ties with Cyprus and Greece as part of increased energy cooperation following the discovery of substantial natural gas deposits in both Israel’s and Cyprus’ economic zones.
Netanyahu reaffirmed that he and Christodoulides want to move on with plans for the EurAsia Interconnector, a 2,000 megawatt underwater electrical cable that would link Israel with Cyprus and Greece and serve as a backup energy supply for both Israel and Cyprus.
According to Netanyahu, “you want to be connected to other sources of power that can allow for a more efficient use of power or provide you with power when there is a failure in your own country.
“That is something we are seriously discussing and hoping to accomplish.” Another energy connection concerns a Cypriot plan to construct a pipeline that would transport offshore natural gas from Israel and Cyprus to the island nation in the east Mediterranean, where it would be used as fuel for power plants or maybe liquefied for export by ship.
According to Christodoulides, Cyprus and Israel are trying to establish “a reliable energy corridor” connecting the East Mediterranean basin to Europe through projects because Europe has to diversify its energy sources in light of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
According to Netanyahu, the Israeli government strongly supports the European Union’s decision to establish a regional firefighting base in Cyprus from which to send aircraft and other equipment to assist in putting out flames in surrounding nations.
“The weather won’t get any colder. It will become hotter. Firefighting becomes an extremely important activity as our region and the world become hotter. I believe we can accomplish this more effectively as a team, the Israeli leader stated.
Christodoulides and Netanyahu will speak before their Monday trilateral meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime minister of Greece. Such gatherings of the three leaders have been a regular occurrence since 2016 in what they claim are growing relations that Netanyahu hailed as “a deep friendship, both personal and also between our nations,” that is “real” and “long overdue.”
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
