Israel freezes UAE oil deal over environmental concerns

The environmental protection ministry says the risk assessment ‘did not meet the conditions’ stipulated by the ministry.

Israel’s environmental protection ministry has announced its decision to delay the implementation of a proposed oil transport deal with the United Arab Emirates, freezing a project that has angered environmentalists. The agreement, which followed the UAE and Israel establishing diplomatic ties last year, would see Gulf oil brought to the Red Sea port of Eilat by tanker, than moved by pipeline through mainland Israel to the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon, from where it would be shipped to Europe. The oil deal, involving Israel’s state-owned Europe-Asia Pipeline Company (EAPC) and an Israeli-Emirati company called MED-RED Land Bridge Ltd, has not launched.