Israel approves increase in natural gas exports to Egypt

Israel has announced that it has approved the increase in natural gas exports to Egypt from the Tamar Field in the Mediterranean Israeli Energy Minister Yisrael Katz stated in a statement that approval was given to increase exports to Egypt after the supply of gas to the domestic market was guaranteed. Drawing attention to the fact that the increase in exports to Egypt will be made from the Tamar Gas Field in the Mediterranean, Katz said, "With this step, the state's revenues will increase and political relations between Israel and Egypt will be strengthened." Katz did not provide information on the amount of the increase in natural gas exports to Egypt. In the news on the Israel-based economics website Globes, it was stated that Katz decided to increase annual production at Tamar to 6 billion cubic meters starting from 2026. The news emphasized that this would increase gas production in the field by 60 percent, and that 3.5 billion cubic meters of the 6 billion cubic meters of production would be exported to Egypt. The news indicated that Israel increased its gas exports as a result of pressure from the Egyptian government. Israel currently exports about a third of its 28 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Egypt and Jordan. Jordan consumes the natural gas it imports from Israel domestically, while Egypt liquefies the natural gas it procures from Israel and exports it.