ISRAEL AND THE GAS RESOURCES OF THE LEVANT BASIN

Year 2015, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 136 - 154, 01.01.2015

A.murat Ağdemir

Abstract

The importance of energy as a geostrategic dimension adds more perspectives to the relationships between Eastern Mediterranean countries. Israel, from its beginning as an independent state, has imported energy because of a lack of its own natural resources. The requirement for energy supply affects its foreign policy with neighboring countries, particularly with Eygpt, Lebanon, and the South Cyprus Greek Administration SCGA . However, the discovery of huge reserves off Israel’s coast is changing Israel’s fortune and the geopolitical balance of power in the region. Moreover, gas discoveries off the shore of Israel and the SCGA have become an incentive for alliances, but have created regional tensions. The strategic significance for the Middle East region of the discovery of the gas resources draws the attention of the energy industry as well as regional countries. This paper attempts to analyze the potential impacts on Israel of these discoveries of natural gas. The argument is that for Israel, it will have its own gas resources; however, unless it solves its problems with neighbours, it will be very hard to exploit them and be an exporter

Keywords

Israel, Mediterranean, Levant Basin, Gas, Foreign Policy

İSRAİL VE LEVANT HAVZASININ GAZ KAYNAKLARI

Abstract

Bir jeostratejik boyut olarak enerjinin önemi, Doğu Akdeniz ülkeleri arasındaki ilişkilere daha fazla perspektif eklemektedir. Bağımsız bir devlet olarak ortaya çıkışından itibaren İsrail, kendi doğal kaynakların yetersizliği nedeniyle enerjiyi ithal etmektedir. İsrail’in enerji arzına yönelik ihtiyacı, başta Mısır, Lübnan ve Güney Kıbrıs Rum Yönetimi GKRY olmak üzere komşu ülkelere yönelik dış politikalarını etkilemektedir. Ancak, İsrail’in kıyılarında dev rezervlerin keşfi, İsrail’in talihini ve bölgedeki joepolitik güç dengesini değiştirmiştir. Dahası İsrail GKRY’nin açık denizlerinde doğalgaz sahalarının keşfedilmesi yeni ittifaklar için teşvik edici hale gelmektedir fakat bu durum bölgesel gerilimi de arttırmaktadır. Ortadoğu bölgesinde yeni doğal gaz sahalarının keşfedilmesinin stratejik önemi hem enerji şirketlerinin hem de bölge devletlerinin dikkatini çekmektedir. Bu çalışma yeni doğalgaz sahalarını keşfedilmesinin İsrail üzerindeki etkilerini incelemektedir. Çalışma, İsrail’in bu doğalgaz kaynaklarına sahip olacağını, ancak eğer komşu ülkeler ile sorunlarını çözmez ise bu kaynakları çıkarmasının ve ihraç etmesinin zor olacağını iddia etmektedir

Keywords

İsrail, Akdeniz, Levant Havzası, Gaz, Dış Politika

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