Egypt faces public backlash after signing $15 billion gas deal with Israel
While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt "scored a goal" with a new gas deal with Israel, many citizens remain skeptical.
The signing of a $15 billion deal allowing an Egyptian private sector firm to buy natural gas from Israel over the coming decade has sparked widespread controversy on social media despite garnering enthusiastic praise from officials in both countries.
Under the deal — hailed as "historic" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings would import around 64 billion cubic meters of gas over a 10-year period (starting at the end of next year) from Israeli drilling company Delek and its US partner Noble Energy, a move that Netanyahu said would strengthen Israel's security, economy and regional relations.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has also lauded the deal as "a victory,” saying it would "help transform Egypt into a regional energy hub."
"We have scored a goal," Sisi told Egyptians in televised comments on Feb. 21. He was keen to indicate, however, that "the government was not directly involved in the gas import agreement.”
