Israel is reportedly using its pending natural gas agreement with Egypt as a political pressure card to restrict the Egyptian military’s deployment in the Sinai Peninsula. The move comes amid escalating tensions between the two neighbors following the war in Gaza, which has complicated border security arrangements.
According to the Israeli daily Israel Hayom, Energy Minister Eli Cohen has been withholding final approval of a major gas export deal with Egypt “despite strong pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump.”
The paper cited what it described as “alleged Egyptian violations of the peace treaty provisions concerning troop deployment in Sinai,” in addition to “concerns over rising gas prices for Israeli consumers.”
Days earlier, citing unnamed officials, Israeli media including Yedioth Ahronoth reported that US Energy Secretary Chris Wright canceled a planned visit to Israel after the Israeli government refused to endorse the large-scale gas export agreement with Cairo.
In a statement coinciding with reports, Cohen’s office said that “outstanding issues related to local pricing and national interests” remained unresolved, stressing that Israel “will not proceed until fair pricing for the domestic market and full energy security are guaranteed.”
Israel Hayom later quoted Cohen as saying: “Israel’s top priority remains protecting its security and economic interests.”
Tel Aviv continues to delay the final approval of gas exports from the Leviathan field to Egypt “until a clear settlement is reached regarding the presence of Egyptian forces in Sinai,” it added.
Egyptian military analyst and professor at the Military Academy for Advanced Studies, Major General Nasr Salem, dismissed Israel’s claims as “baseless,” saying: “Israel benefits far more from the gas agreement, since it lacks liquefaction facilities to export its gas to Europe. Without Egypt, Israel cannot market its production.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Salem emphasized: “Egypt has not violated any terms of the peace treaty, otherwise the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) would have reported it.”
Military deployments in Sinai are “subject to coordination between Egyptian and Israeli security agencies,” he explained, adding: “Egypt will not be swayed by these false accusations or any Israeli pressure over troop presence or gas arrangements.”
In August, NewMed Energy, a partner in Israel’s Leviathan field, announced an amendment to the gas supply contract with Egypt, extending it to 2040 and raising its total value to $35 billion.
However, by early September, amid the Gaza conflict, Israeli media suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered a review of Egypt’s “full compliance” with the peace treaty before granting final approval.
Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs member and Israel affairs expert Ahmed Fouad Anwar described Israel’s stance as “a sign of weakness,” noting that the treaty’s security annex has already been amended twice to allow additional Egyptian forces in Sinai.
“Israel itself violates the peace arrangements, particularly in Zone D along the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) Corridor,” he added.
In that area - designated a demilitarized buffer zone under the 1979 peace treaty - Israeli forces recently re-entered during the Gaza war.
Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakry accused Israel on X of occupying the corridor’s 14-kilometer stretch along Egypt’s border with Gaza “in violation of the 2005 security protocol.”
