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'Nixed gas deal not a political decision'
Attila Somfalvi
Published: 23.04.12, 08:27
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26 Talkbacks for this article
1. Decision of People?
Moisha Kapoir ,   Nanuet USA   (04.23.12)
Perhaps since Egypt is abrogating the peace agreement, Israel should take back the Sinai. Sounds fair to me.
2. It just pushes Israel forward
Israeli citizen ,   Israel   (04.23.12)
This is what the Arab masses have never understood: opposition to Israel unites Israelis and pushes development forward. I woúldn't be surprised if Israel produces something truly revolutionary that would end dependence on oil and gas entirely. Here in Israel we may have to pay higher prices for a while but we will still come out ahead. Let's see just how far ahead the Egyptian economy will be a few years from now.
3. Islamist dictators following the" decision of the people" ?
PETER SM ,   MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA   (04.23.12)
Egyptians will learn,as did Iran, as will the rest of the world. Turkey is said to lead the world in jailed journalists!
4. gas is exclusively not from Sinai
observer ,   Egypt   (04.23.12)
The price of breaching the treaty is losing the free passage in the Suez canal and Tiran Straits, both are sovereign Egypt's territories.
5. Egypt and gas--let them starve
sharona ,   Haifa   (04.23.12)
Pretty soon, if not yet, Egypt will have no income" 1. No income from gas 2. no income from tourism as its not safe 3 no income from anything else Let them starve. Or let the Us give them aid. But since the US is bankrupt this will not continue.
6. Int...
Paul ,   USA   (04.23.12)
...rapersonal decision vs interpersonal.
7. pacta sunt servanda
Susya Bar Dror ,   Israel   (04.23.12)
Contracts must be fulfilled. This is basic in the whole world. Except in the arab/islamic umma, when the partner is israel.
8. Observer Nasser tried it on. Some people never learn.
PETER SM   (04.23.12)
He was going to destroy Israel and kicked out the UN and massed his heroic glorious army and the Arab world went mad with the ecstasy of the imminent slaughter and great Remember what happened next? BTW you can Taqiya to yourself as much as you like but the waterway is international. If you want to wreck what's left of your economy block Suez and encourage Israel to offer the land sea alternative that is already mooted and you can race back to the 15 th Century to become another Islamic ruled backwater.
9. Israel failed to pay its gas bill to Egypt
observer ,   Egypt   (04.23.12)
Sinai is historical Egyptian land and is going to remain so, stop whining.
10. # 1 what would have been fair is
ben   (04.23.12)
is Israel had kept the peace agreement in the first place. there was a clause in the Camp David Treaty for self autonomy for the Palastinians. It's been said Sadat was an idealist Begin was a lawyer. Begin used the treaty with the largest Arab country to go full speed ahead building the illeagal settlements. Egypt went along becaues they were paid off by the USA.
11. Commercial considerations
Alexandre Chinovich   (04.23.12)
It's funny to listen to what our leaders are talking about. In the nearest future they are going to tell us that Egypt denounces the peace agreement out of commercial considerations.
12. The Muslim Brotherhoodlums!
Cheryl ,   Chicago, IL, USA   (04.23.12)
13. Re-taking the Sinai won't be a political decision either.
Noodles ,   Coney Island   (04.23.12)
They will have done something stupid and brought it upon themselves once again. Then they'll suddenly find themselves missing Mubarak.
14. Who needs Egyptian gas?
Sarah B. ,   U.S.A/Israel   (04.23.12)
In some months hence Israel will be supplying gas to the Middle East. By the way... have you seen Akiva Eldar's article today?
15. sorry #9 we did pay the bill
Stuart ,   Yeruham   (04.23.12)
what Israel didnt pay was the extortionate tax egypt demanded without negotiation on top of the already agreed price. Dont worry Israels gas fields will be opening up much sooner than you think and then you'll be losing Jordons business aswell.
16. # 9 make a course in History. Sinai was never Egyptian until
Ari ,   Jerusalem   (04.23.12)
the English made it part of Egypt when they drew the divison of the Middle East by tracing lines over it to create countries after yje Otoman empire was defeated. Sinai was part of the Graet Syria Province. In ancient time it was land of Beduins just like Arabia. Less habitated.
17. no 10 it was not Beguin who started building settlements
Ari   (04.23.12)
It started mch earlier With Rabin and Peres and Golda. Invetigate better. Beguin was the first one to erradicate a Sinai Settlement and Give back land. He made it in good will but was mistaken. The peace with Egypt in reality has been a Cese fire. Typicall arab Hunda
18. Violation of the accords.
Himmler   (04.23.12)
Egyptians of all political stripes overwhelmingly resent Israel because of its continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, which many here believe to be a violation of the accords.
19. Portends Things to Come
David ,   Minneapolis, USA   (04.23.12)
If any politician does not see this as a political decision then they are seriously delusional. It is absolutely a view of the future, of the failing Israel - Egypt relationship, the Egyptian people never wanted peace, Sadat , Mubarak and the senior military did. Now we have had the Arab Spring where the people have spoken in electing radicals Israel had better prepare for a very different future.
20. What's Next???
leo ,   nyc   (04.23.12)
More evidence of the igonorance of those who will run Egypt---What do they intend to do with the gas? Sniff it? I guess prosperity is not in the cards for Egypt---one can only wonder what will happen there and how it will affect Israel...it can't be good...
21. #4 actually no
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (04.23.12)
That Suez Canal and Tiran Straits are held by Egypt is true. That they are obligated by International Law to keep them open is also true. Closing these waterways, just like in 1956 and in 1967, is a declaration of war. If Israel was a normal country, after you broke the treary, Israel would recover her land in Sinai. But rest easy. Netanyahu and Barak will agree to closing the Straits and the Canal because they are so eager to invent a new Arab state on Israel's strategic heartland.
22. Let the Fgyptians eat gas.
Ariel ,   Europe   (04.23.12)
Money aren't coming anytime soon and Israel will have it's own gas next year. How could these people be so incredibly stupid?
23. #4 - remember what happened last time Egypt tried that?
William ,   Israel   (04.23.12)
Egyptian hubris and history have relatively short memories, while the Egyptian military hasn't grown to support such tirades, Observer. You have the weapons, you have the soldiers. I recall Egypt also had the major advantage in 1948 and again in 1967. Both times you were smacked in the ass so hard, your eyes popped out. You can't feed yourselves and yet you want to start a pissing match with Israel when the largest income to Egypt arrives as US aid tied to the Egyptian-Israeli peace? Sure - you can be stupid, even if that is "the will of the people". But no one ever argued that Egyptians weren't inherently stupid and racist.
24. Jordan is also looking to ween itself from Egypt
William ,   Israel   (04.23.12)
Jordan has been vocal to the Israeli govt to get its gas fields online so Amman can move its import to Israel and away from the instability of Egypt. Israel should oblige.
25. #10 - nice try, Ben.
William ,   Israel   (04.23.12)
The clause you refer to in the Peace Agreement intended a "movement towards autonomy of the Palestinians". That is - Israel had to work towards a solution for "Palestinian" Statehood, which it did in the Oslo Accords. However, the obligation is not unilateral and was based on negotiations between the two parties. Arafat and the PLO broke the agreement shortly thereafter in 1995, and Hamas, who is doing the same thing today as in 1995, launched horrific attacks on Israeli civilians, and found to have done so with the OK from Arafat. Within these Accords, the PLO AGREED to settlement expansion. I'll say it again for the retarded in your group - the Oslo Accords ALLOWED for the EXPANSION of settlements and what AGREED on by "Palestinians". Case closed, you twit.
26. #25 Israel invented that allowance
observer ,   Egypt   (04.23.12)
After Oslo accords, the ongoing expansion of existing settlements by Israel and the construction of settlement outposts is frequently criticized as an obstacle to the peace process by the third parties, including the United Nations, the United Kingdom,] the European Union, and the United States.
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