Interview with Formr Israeli Navy Chief: Marine Infrastructure Security Not Just Israel's Problem

December 01st, 2015

INTERVIEW WITH FORMER ISRAELI NAVY CHIEF: MARINE INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY NOT JUST ISRAEL'S PROBLEM

Eastern Mediterranean security matters came up during the UOG 2015 conference held last week in Tel Aviv, Israel.

One of the speakers at the event was Vice Admiral (Ret.), David Ben-Bashat, formerly the Israeli navy commander in chief, a position he held from 2004 to 2008. Following his presentation to the conference, Natural Gas Europe conducted an interview with Mr. Ben-Bashat.

NGE: How difficult is it to attack and harm Israeli natural gas infrastructure at sea?

Ben Bashsat: Generally it depends on a few elements, among them the platform's distance from the shore, who the guy is [who wants to cause harm], what kind of terrorist activity, and the operational capability.

If you ask specifically for this region, then we know that there are intentions from the Gaza Strip, where Hamas, a terrorist group, is in control, and from Lebanon where Hezbollah, also a terrorist group, has military means. They have even declared that they can do it. We know of a few attempts [to strike at Israeli marine natural gas assets] by Hamas [from Gaza] that fortunately were unsuccessful. Currently the Hezbollah [because of an involvement in Syria] is not involved in such activities, though the organisation still declares [those intentions]. We, as Israel, are defending ourselves and I believe that we have the right tools to defend ourselves.

NGE: Are the natural gas platforms immune from terrorist attacks?

Ben Bashsat: We are dealing here with terrorist organizations, not a normal country with a government. Such organisations don’t always behave responsibly. Hezbollah has already shot some merchant ships in the region. Therefore if they decide to do something, they don’t care if their actions might harm innocent civilians. And therefore we need to take into consideration that they will not always behave logically. When you are talking about a platform that is in a fixed

Vice Admiral (Ret.), David Ben-Bashat, formerly the
Israeli navy commander in chief

position, then it is not a big deal for them to find exactly where the platform is located. Therefore, they can make all the preparations and they can get Iranian support or some other organizations' support. We need to take it as a serious threat and that is what Israel does. We take it seriously. And we are organizing ourselves for that.

NGE: What kind of threats is the infrastructure exposed to?

Ben Bashat: We need to consider threats on the water, underwater, from the air and from the shore. We are preparing the answers and this is a combination between [private] forces on the platforms, which are trained, taught and guided by us [the Israeli military], and the envelope around the area that is controlled and patrolled by military forces like the Israeli navy. It is not always an easy task to accomplish, but we do it. Thanks to good intelligence we have good replies to all threats and scenarios.

NGE: What are the possible aerial threats?

Ben Bashsat: Syria and Hezbollah possess missiles that can hit marine objects. There is also a possibility of operating a UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] which can carry explosives. However, the Israeli Navy is well equipped and has an answer to any scenario.

NGE: How important are the four battle ships that the Israeli navy has ordered from Germany in order to defend the country's offshore resources?

Ben Bashsat: Very important. We started it a long time ago. The navy started the push to get [the battle ships]. But Israel has limited resources. However, the government became aware of the need to protect our energy resources and those are far away from the Israeli shore. Our enemies might have the capability to hit them, and therefore, it is very important to upgrade the fleet with ships that can stay at sea [for a long period] and to be around. You need to be there. There is no vacuum [on the sea]. You need to have the picture and to be able to respond quickly at the moment of need.

NGE: How do you see the Russian involvement in the region?

Ben Bashsat: As it was published, the involvement of Russia in Syria is coordinated with Israel. There were meetings between senior officers from both sides. But we still have to watch, though at least there is a coordination. I remember from the Soviet times that the Russians were there without any coordination with us.

NGE: Is Russia's presence in the Middle East posing a threat to Israeli gas interests, like possible natural gas deals with Turkey?

Ben Bashsat: Right now we are not dealing with Turkey [a potential customer for Israeli gas]. Maybe when we make gas deals with Turkey and when contracts are signed, we'll have to find a way to talk to the Russians. Right now it is far away [in the future].

However if Turkey improves relationships with us it will be a big benefit for Israel. They need it so why not do it? Right now I don’t see Erdogan rushing to improve the relationship with Israel. But I also hear rumours that something might happen [between Israel and Turkey]. Maybe the gas will be a leverage for rapprochement between the two countries. For us it is very important. That was the way it was before Erdogan came to power. And it is important for us to cooperate one day with Turkey.

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Since the interview was conducted before the incident in which Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet, I returned to Mr. Ben Bashat and asked him to adapt his answers to the new situation.

"This incident would not lead to war," he said, referring to the incident. "However it is raising the tension between the two countries. So now they have to be very careful in what they do. I see it as a message from Turkey to Russia. So far there are no implications on the Mediterranean and it is more an affair between Russia and Turkey. If the confrontation is not exaggerated by one of the sides, a routine will be resumed.

NGE: Is the security situation of other countries in the region different from Israel's?

Ben Bashsat: I believe that Egypt and Cyprus share the same security challenges as Israel. Therefore, I see room for cooperation between the countries. We can share the [military] picture, the capability, the concept, the intelligence, because this Jihadist international terrorism is aimed at anybody: Americans, Europeans, Middle East countries, Saudi Arabia. Everybody has to be aware of the dangers. [In that respect] Israel is not unique any more."

NGE: So what should be done?

Ben Bahsat: In this region we need to work together--public forces with private. You need to involve other countries in the region. We need to build a security platform among Israel, Cyprus and Greece and invite other countries like Jordan and Egypt to join. In that case, it is win-win-win situation. It concerns not only gas; it is a very strong leverage for other issues.

Ya'acov Zalel

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Source: http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/david-ben-bashat-infrastructure-security-is-not-just-an-israeli-problem-26777

Texas firms looking to explore Israeli gas market, says expert | Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN \  11/18/2015

Texas firms looking to explore Israeli gas market, says expert


Freeman spoke with the Post at the Universal Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition in Tel Aviv, where industry leaders from around the world gathered to discuss hydrocarbon opportunities in Israel.

A man points as he stands on a tanker carrying liquified
natural gas, ten miles off the coast from Hadera. (REUTERS)

Israel’s emerging natural gas sector could provide an attractive environment not only for Texan hydrocarbon exploration firms, but also for those specialized in the accompanying infrastructural services, according to the leader of the Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re trying to get Texas companies interested in the oil and gas opportunities here in Israel – not just the major E&P [exploration and production] companies, but all the supporting companies, all the services it takes to run an oil and gas industry,” Clare Freeman, president and CEO of the chamber, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

Freeman spoke with the Post at the Universal Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition in Tel Aviv, where industry leaders from around the world gathered to discuss hydrocarbon opportunities in Israel and the surrounding region.

Firms that offer gas rig support services are critically scarce in Israel today, potentially leading to situations where a broken part must be shipped back to Texas for repair due to the lack of suitable rehabilitative machinery here, Freeman explained.

Whether companies entering Israel are from the E&P or the supporting infrastructural arena, Freeman stressed that they should ideally be medium- sized, like Noble Energy.

Many of the much bigger players already have existing relationships with Arab countries that would prevent them from entering Israel, she added.

“The opportunity here isn’t right for every company,” Freeman said. “It’s right for a company like Noble. It’s small and nimble enough to move into this region and has all the economic resources to invest $18 billion.”

In order to expedite the arrival of more Texan companies, which have a wealth of experience in the hydrocarbon sector, Freeman stressed the importance of providing incentives to these firms.

While such incentives could be direct financial benefits like tax abatements, they could also involve more indirect measures, such as establishing more programs to train oil and gas workers, she explained. Academic institutions in Israel could partner with those in Texas that have such expertise to educate a local workforce, and thereby reduce the burden on incoming companies. “It’s good for the economy if you get local workers involved.”

In just a two-year time frame, it is possible to “churn out qualified workers” by using “the curriculum we know that exists and works, and [letting] the local professors provide it.”

Despite the many bureaucratic and regulatory delays that have riddled the Israeli gas sector, Freeman said she was confident that many Texan companies are still willing to take advantage of the opportunities available in the market here.

“Our job is to create that short list of potential companies that are good candidates for this opportunity and make a concerted effort to recruit them,” she said. “The good part is that it’s Israel, and there’s an undercurrent of goodwill that goes with doing business in Israel.”

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Texas-firms-looking-to-explore-Israeli-gas-market-says-expert-434447

Steinitz: Gas outline to be fully activated, in place by the new year | Jerusalem Post

Steinitz: Gas outline to be fully activated, in place by the new year

By SHARON UDASIN \  11/17/2015 11:06


Bringing an end to a nearly yearlong freeze in Israel’s natural gas sector, the country’s disputed natural gas compromise outline will be fully implemented by the new year, National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Tuesday morning.

Although the deal received both required cabinet authorization in August and additional Knesset backing in September, activating the outline still demands that the economy minister invoke a legal clause to circumvent the objections of the antitrust commissioner. Following former economy minister Arye Deri’s resignation from his position two weeks ago, it is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s responsibility as economy minister to consult with the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee prior to activating that clause – known as Article 52.

These consultations will take place over the coming weeks, and should not require more than a few meetings, Steinitz confirmed on Tuesday, during his address at the Universal Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition in Tel Aviv.

“I believe that by the beginning or middle of December this will be over, and by 2016 we will be open, with the gas framework already activated and fully in place,” the energy minister said.

Following the December announcement of former antitrust commissioner David Gilo that he intended to review whether the market dominance of the Delek Group and Noble Energy constituted an illegal “restrictive agreement,” nearly eight months of negotiations among the companies and government officials ensued.

After issuing several iterations of a compromise outline and following a public objections period, the cabinet authorized the terms of the deal in August. While Knesset support is not required to pass such an arrangement, the legislature narrowly voted to approve the document the following month.

Yet Gilo – who resigned over the issue and completed his term on August 31 – refused to support the outline, saying it would stifle competition in the gas market. To bypass such a refusal, the economy minister can invoke Article 52 of the 1988 Restrictive Trade Practices Law (The Antitrust Law), citing national security interests.

Nonetheless, Deri was not willing to invoke Article 52, arguing that the clause had never been implemented in the country's history. He therefore requested that his authority be transferred to the entire cabinet, but the coalition was unable to acquire the necessary majority to approve such a transfer.

On November 1, Deri resigned from his role as economy minister, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in charge of the position and now able to invoke Article 52. Prior to doing so, however, Netanyahu must consult with the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, which is now slated to occur in the next few weeks. 

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Steinitz-Gas-outline-to-be-fully-activated-in-place-by-the-new-year-434357