Lebanon denies reports of deal to import gas from Israel

The Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water denied on Sunday Israeli media reports claiming that it had agreed a US brokered deal to import gas “indirectly” from the occupation state. The gas, explained the ministry, will be imported from Egypt.

Israeli Channel 12 reported on Saturday that the US had brokered an agreement to supply Lebanon with natural gas from Israel via Jordan and Syria. This, insisted the ministry in Beirut, is “totally and completely untrue”.

It added that the gas supply agreement between the Lebanese and Egyptian governments is clear and explicit that the gas will come from Egypt. It will be channelled through Jordan and Syria to the Deir Ammar power station in northern Lebanon.

The State Department in Washington also denied the Channel 12 claim.

Last September, the energy and oil ministers of Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Syria agreed on a road map to supply Lebanon with electricity and gas in order to solve the energy crisis in the country.

READ: US reportedly allows Israel to supply gas to Lebanon, via Syria and Jordan