Jordanian parliament passes law to ban Israeli gas imports

The motion was passed unanimously by Jordan's 130 lawmakers following weekend protests around the country against the new energy deal between the two countries
Associated Press |
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Jordan's parliament on Sunday approved a draft law to ban imports of Israeli gas to the country just days after they started under a multibillion-dollar deal struck in 2016 which is opposed by much of the population.
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  • The motion was passed unanimously by Jordan's 130 lawmakers and will be referred to the cabinet to be made law, although legal hurdles may prevent it coming into force.
    3 View gallery
    Jordan's King Abdullah speaks to the Jordanian Parliament
    Jordan's King Abdullah speaks to the Jordanian Parliament
    The Jordanian Parliament
    (Photo: Reuters )
    The government has previously said it was a deal between companies rather than a political matter.
    The $10 billion supply deal was originally struck between Jordan's state-owned utility and a U.S. Israeli consortium led by Texas-based Noble Energy, to provide gas to the country's power plants for electricity generation.
    It was not referred to parliament for approval.
    Although U.S. ally Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel the deal, which supplies Jordan for 15 years, has faced much popular opposition, with lawmakers arguing it makes the kingdom dependent on its neighbor for energy.
    Many Jordanians are also the descendants of Palestinians who moved to the country after the creation of Israel in 1948 and view Israel as an erstwhile enemy that expelled their ancestors from their homes.
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    Jordanians protesting the Israeli gas imports
    (Photo: EPA)
    The Jordanian government said after the agreement was signed in 2016 that securing stable energy prices for the next decade could achieve annual savings of at least $500 million and help reduce a chronic budget deficit.
    The import of Israeli gas has become a major focus in Jordan and sparked protests and calls for both the deal and the peace treaty to be scrapped.
    "The gas of the enemy is an occupation. Down with the gas deal," placards carried by protesters said.
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    המלך עבדאללה
    המלך עבדאללה
    Abdullah II, King of Jordan
    (Photo: Reuters)
    Jordan's ties with Israel have come under increasing strain since the gas deal was struck as Israel has moved to the right and since Donald Trump replaced Barack Obama as U.S. president.
    Jordan's King Abdullah fears Israel's rejection of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank could spark renewed violence and see a new generation of Palestinians relocating to Jordan.
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    8.
    SO BASICALLY, PALIS REFUSE TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE THEIR
    Economic progress along with Israel. OK! Israel will sell gas to others anyway. The mullahs can choose to stay in 1400’s and keep on fighting this useless and BS jihad war.
    Iranian Jew| 01.20.20
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    7.
    Jordan -is Palestine.
    sasha| 01.20.20
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    6.
    Good! More gas for Israel's future!
    Jordan has no gas, no oil, and no water! What they do have is an oversupply of hot air. What a bunch morons. In the middle of summer, when its 105 degrees in the shade, and Jordan's power plants are offline due to insufficient supplies of fuel, DO NOT COME BEGGING FOR ISRAEL'S GAS. You made your soon to be very sweaty bed, now sleep in it. (You will notice how the baby King has no opinion on the matter. His father must be so disappointed in him.) Israel should protect that gas supply for domestic use- 20 years from now the rest of the mideast will be dry and gas will be the lingua franca. Either get absolute 'warm' peace deals or nobody gets any gas. Very simple. And that means NO GAS to Gaza.
    David| 01.20.20
    31
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