Cyprus’ Energy Minister George Papanastasiou talks during an Associated Press interview in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Tuesday, Nov, 7, 2023. Papanastasiou says the political and economic ramifications from the ongoing crisis in Gaza could inject fresh impetus to plans for a pipeline conveying Israeli and Cypriot offshore natural gas to the east Mediterranean island nation for processing and export by ship to markets abroad.
Papanastasiou said Israel’s contacts with Turkey for possible energy cooperation - part and parcel of the Israeli government’s desire to keeping all available options open - may have fallen by the wayside given Turkey’s increasingly harsh criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza.
The United Arab Emirates has shown “immediate” interest in investing in the 1.9 billion-euro cable dubbed the EurAsia Interconnector, Papanastasiou said. Jordan has also expressed an interest in “becoming part of the conversation,” he said. According to Papanastasiou, Israel wants to expedite projects that would enhance its electricity supply because some estimates indicate the country will experience a shortage in three to four years.