Jordan unions protest against Israel gas deal

Jordan’s Professional Associations Council will go on strike today in protest against the construction of a gas pipeline which will transport Israeli gas to Jordan.

The body said in a statement that the sit-in will take place between 12:00-14:00 local time today near the University of Science and Technology in Irbid.

“We are against normalisation with the Zionist enemy in all aspects, and we do not want this generation’s weakness to bind future generations with fateful decisions that harm the interests of our children and grandchildren,” Ali Obous, head of the council, said.

Is it reasonable to import it [gas] from the enemy? The gas does not belong to them [Israel], it belongs to the Arab nation and it is stolen.

“One day if we want to express our opinion against them, all they have to do is close the gas taps.”

“Expressing opinion is a sacred duty, and we will continue to resist and refuse until our rights are restored,” he added.

In September 2016, Jordan and Israel signed an agreement under which Amman will import 45 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Israel worth $10 billion over 15 years.

According to Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) the agreement will save the organisation about $300 million annually.

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