"We believe that exporting Israeli natural gas to our neighbors will promote trust that could promote regional peace," Water and Energy Minister Uzi Landau said in a recent Athens conference on European energy challenges.
The conference, sponsored by the Economist, was also attended by Landua's Greek and Cypriot counterparts. Landua and Greek Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Giorgos Papakonstantinou signed a collaboration agreement in the fields of water management ,desalination, bio-gas production and increasing energy efficiency
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The ministers will also promote the future construction of an underwater power cable between Israel ,Cyprus and Greece. The cable project, which will stretch 1,000 kilometers and run some 2,000 meters deep, is estimated at $660 million.
"The energy market is bound to expand the use of natural gas ,in a way that would ease the dependency in Arab oil ,Landau commented.
"We wholeheartedly believe that (exploring natural gas) in the Middle East will pave the way to a better future for our countries, as well as for our neighbors. For us, the Palestinians will be the market for our natural gas.
"We are sure that in the Middle East, which is in chaos at this moment, this partnership between Israel, Greece and Cyprus will promote regional stability," he said.