Israeli defence minister Gantz 'opposes UAE oil pipeline deal'

Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz has reportedly voiced his opposition to an oil pipeline deal with the United Arab Emirates following outrage from environmentalists.

Late last year, Israel's state-owned Europe Asia Pipeline Co signed a deal to transport oil from the UAE through the Eilat and Ashkelon pipeline. The line will be used to transport oil to customers in Europe.

Gantz said at a closed-door meeting on Wednesday that he is in favour of suspending the contract until its implications are investigated further, according to Haaretz.

His comments came after a meeting with Europe Asia Pipeline's CEO, Itzik Levy, and chairman, Erez Halfon.

The main decision-maker behind the future of the deal is Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, though Gantz’s opposition to the contract may embolden current opposition to the deal, analysts say.

The deal came as part of the UAE and Israel normalising relations with Israel in what was dubbed the Abraham Accords in September 2020, and would allow oil from the UAE to reach the Mediterranean. According to estimates, the number of tankers arriving annually at Israeli ports would increase from six to over 50.

The companies involved say this land bridge is the shortest, most efficient and cost-effective route to transport oil from the Gulf to the West. But environmental groups, who have petitioned Israel's Supreme Court to freeze the deal, say the influx of tankers and crude oil is a huge ecological risk.

The UAE's normalisation of relations with Israel caused uproar in much of the Arab world.

Following the UAE deal, Israel normalised relations with Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Israel's normalisation deals were slammed by Palestinians as a betrayal of their cause, rewarding Israel while it continues to occupy the West Bank and besiege the Gaza Strip.

Opinion polls showed that the overwhelming majority of respondents in the Arab world were opposed to the deals.

Israel already signed peace deals with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.