Gas tanks (archives)
Photo: Ministry of National Infrastructures
Former Shin Bet man suspected of selling gas tanks to Gaza
Retired security establishment official allegedly involved in attempted sale of 1,700 gas containers to Palestinians in Strip. Ministry of National Infrastructures says clear order exists against removing gas containers from Israel’s legal borders
Stolen Goods
Shmulik Hadad
Infrastructure Ministry inspectors find 1,700 gas tanks hidden in Ashkelon warehouse, say stolen tanks were intended for terror groups in Gaza
A former Shin Bet official who is acquainted with the detained man said, “There is no chance that this man would be involved in the activity ascribed to him, he most likely stepped on the feet of some of the people in this field.”
In addition, on Thursday an additional cache of 200 illegal gas containers was found in the north.
On Wednesday, ministry inspectors stormed into a piratical gas warehouse in Ashkelon’s southern industrial zone.
Some of the seized containers
It turns out that the warehouse was under the ownership of a former Shin Bet man.
More than 1,700 stolen tanks and 100 tons of illegal gas were found there.
The supply was apparently bought from an Israeli Arab from the north and was intended to be transferred to elements in the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the police and Ministry of National Infrastructures are assessing the suspicions that thousands of gas tanks were transferred to the strip.
In order to receive a license to legally maintain a gas warehouse of this magnitude there are numerous location-related limitations and strict security instructions.
This warehouse was found completely exposed and in Qassam rocket range, substantially increasing the danger involved.
A preliminary investigation has revealed extremely severe findings like the fact that an Arab from northern Israel gathered thousands of gas containers he received from various companies, including the company for which he works, and stored them at different locations.
'He is a completely legitimate businessman'
He allegedly sold the containers to the former Shin Bet official who stored and sold them for profit to Palestinians from Gaza with whom he made contact.According to the ministries’ officials, this seizure explains the recent rise in the theft of gas tanks from consumers’ homes especially in central and northern Israel.
In addition, there have recently been complaints by the gas company regarding the absence of thousands of gas balloons.
The ministry also said that there is a clear order against removing gas containers from outside Israel’s legal borders whether they are empty or full; for fear that they will be used as raw materials for creating weapons.
It will also be examined whether or not the former security establishment member utilized his previous position in order to attain contacts in Gaza.
An associate of the former Shin Bet man said in response, “he is a completely legitimate businessman who indeed dealt with trading gas in a completely legal fashion.
“The man greatly contributed to the security establishment in Israel and it is definitely nonsense that this could have endangered Israel’s security,” he said.
“If the people from Gaza would have turned to one gas company or another, they would have sold them gas and then there wouldn’t have been a problem. The second it bothered different business people, everyone awoke.”
