An Egyptian official branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “delusional” and challenged him to scrap a gas deal with Egypt.
"Netanyahu can’t bear the economic and political consequences” of abolishing the gas deal, Diaa Rashwan, the head of the State Information Service (SIS), said in televised statements.
"(Netanyahu) sees Egypt as an obstacle to his dream of Greater Israel and a danger to him, a thorn in his side, especially since Cairo is the first line of defense against Palestinian displacement,” he added.
His comments followed Israeli media reports suggesting that Netanyahu was considering suspending a deal to supply Egypt with gas.
The daily Israel Hayom reported Tuesday that Netanyahu instructed officials "not to move forward with the massive gas deal with Egypt without his personal approval.”
The paper said he was discussing with Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen "whether to proceed with the agreement, and how to do so,” before making a final decision.
Last month, Netanyahu had declared that he was "deeply committed to the vision of Greater Israel,” which, according to Israeli claims, encompasses the occupied Palestinian territories and parts of Arab countries, stretching from the Euphrates to the Nile.
Rashwan said if Netanyahu believes Egypt has only one path for energy and gas, "he is delusional.”
"The Egyptian administration has alternatives and scenarios for what may happen, and Netanyahu is trying to export a crisis to Egypt,” he added.
On Aug. 14, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the gas agreement signed with "NewMed Energy,” a partner in Israel’s Leviathan gas field, was an extension of the 2019 deal until 2040.
Madbouly stressed that the extension of the agreement does not affect Egypt’s strong and clear stance on the Gaza war and rejection of all attempts "to liquidate the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.”
Israeli gas is transported to Egypt via an undersea pipeline from the Leviathan and Tamar fields to a reception terminal in North Sinai. Cairo uses part of these supplies to meet domestic demand and re-export some as liquefied natural gas from its Idku and Damietta plants to European and Asian markets.
