Gas Finds in the Eastern Mediterranean: Gaza, Israel, and Other Conflicts

This article looks at the gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean since the late 1990s and how they have fueled—or otherwise intersected with—the various regional conflicts. About half of the article examines the fate of the 1999 gas discoveries off Gaza (within the maritime space set for the Palestinians by Oslo), and Israel’s role in controlling the outcome. The other half is devoted, collectively, to the gas discoveries off Israel, Egypt, and Cyprus, as well as to the ensuing disputes and shifts of alliances involving these three states plus Lebanon and Turkey. Given the state of flux in the region, it is too soon to speculate on the ultimate geopolitical impact of the new finds.

ANAI¨S ANTREASYAN is a researcher based in Geneva and co-founder of Generation Palestine (Gene`ve). She obtained her master’s (hons.) from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Gene`ve) under the direction of Riccardo Bocco. The present article is based on updated research undertaken for her 2011 master’s thesis, ‘‘Le gaz de la discorde: Les decouvertes de gaz au large de ´ Gaza et d’Israe¨l, 2000–2011.’’ The author is grateful to Bushra Khalidi for translation and to Raja Khalidi for his critical comments.