Berri: Israel Started Stealing Lebanon's Gas
Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Monday that Israel has already started stealing amounts of Lebanon's offshore gas, expressing astonishment at the government’s “lack of interest,” al-Akhbar daily reported.
The Speaker told the daily that he received almost certain information from an international scientific figure that Israel is stealing Lebanon's gas from a basin near the maritime borders with occupied Palestine, and at cut-rate expenses.
Expressing astonishment at the carelessness of the cabinet, Berri said: “I will do everything I can to activate this file by the beginning of the new year.”
The new Israeli assault against Lebanon, opens the doors wide on the need for the Lebanese state to implement the decrees that allow it to start drilling for gas, thus securing new revenues that could support the economy.
Lebanon and Israel are bickering over a zone that consists of about 854 square kilometers of oil reserves and suspected energy reserves that could generate billions of dollars.
Lebanon has been slow to exploit its maritime resources compared with other eastern Mediterranean countries. Israel, Cyprus and Turkey are all much more advanced in drilling for oil and gas.
In March 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and a mean of 34.5 trillion cubic meters of recoverable gas in the Levant Basin in the eastern Mediterranean, which includes the territorial waters of Lebanon, Israel, Syria and Cyprus.
The formation of the Petroleum Authority was the first major step in future oil exploration since parliament passed a law in 2011 setting the country's maritime boundary and Exclusive Economic Zone.
The country is supposed to witness the first oil exploration process in 2015 and it will take a year to enter the production stage.
D.A.
G.K.
over 9 years
lol
over 9 years
FT, it isn't Pro-Israel in any way but Pro-Lebanon. Let us for once see from you an argument that does not deny the undeniable, please ya FT, at least in this case you do know well where the problem resides. Your belonging to M8 should not at any moment impair your capacity to judge fairly. Berri is a thief, period and Israel knows it so will steal from us sparingly.
over 9 years
FT, I am quoting from your post, "more pro-israel drivel from the usual israel knob polisher..". This one single phrase of yours is accusation galore when you have nothing to prove anything. This article is about Berri, yes Berri the thief, now you brought about Adwan and again lambasting us with your typical diatribes, as in Saudi Owned leadership. There was a time when your posts were kind of educational, but lately however you seem to have a taken a turn for the worst. Do forgive my being upfront, but the forum is here for us to exchange views, not to accuse each other of anything. You see, I still focus on the personalities, and not the posters. Anyway....
over 9 years
Not that Israel is not capable of snatching the gas, but How come Berri is the only one to receive such a major information? Why is he releasing it to the Press and not to the Government? Did Berri verify this information with international powers? Then he should ask the Government to immediately file a complaint near the United Nations?
More importantly, look where the info is released and ask if Ebola is not trying to reach this part?
Zero trust in all this parties: Israel, Berri, Al Akhbar, Ebola...
over 9 years
Berri should make a major press conference and not only talk to a newspaper which loyalty is to Iran.
over 9 years
Even if there was the slightest possibility that this is correct, which I very much doubt, who is to blame?
Years ago Israel offered to co-operate with Lebanon to develop the fields but time after time Lebanon refused.
Years ago Lebanon started internal talks about developing their own fields, but the only thing that came out of it was talk talk and more talk.
If Lebanon would have co-operated with Israel, or had developed its fields at the same speed as Israel did, then this certainly would have been a non story.
So don't blame Israel. She has enough natural gas of her own from other fields. Blame your own government(s) for dragging their feet.
over 9 years
True. This was the time when imbassil was discussing the amount of his shares.
over 9 years
if he was so concerned about lebanese wealth being stolen why has he never whined about politicians stealing Lebanon? oh! he cannot, i wonder why....
over 9 years
And who is to blame for that Mr. Berri? Since you are part of the disunity reign in Lebanon, paralyzing all state institutions, paralyzing all decision making apparatuses, rendering our nation feeble and unproductive, erring and indecisive, can we blame the Israelis for stealing our properties? Then who is in real truth stealing the nation's coffers, aren't you one of them thieves? Unlike us, Israel is a nation that is firm, if not ruthless but cares less for our sentiments, Israel is here for its people and will fight to the death for every single Jew. Unlike you Mr. Berri and your hordes of politicians, you will fight each other to the very last Lebanese. It is a real tragedy that when Lebanon needed every single Cent, now it is seeing it flee like always, and as always thanks to the mafia in which you are a prime member. Buzz off Mr. Berri will you?
over 9 years
may god punish who deliberately halted the oil and gaz project since 1992
over 9 years
Hear hear.
over 9 years
Berri has got huge businesses in US. A Corruption Icon who knows what's he's talking about.
Anyway : Better Israel steals our gas than Islamist Iran (U know, our 1st actual occupying enemy).
over 9 years
@art, Detroit Michigan. In Michigan alone Mr. Berri operates many businesses, mainly in the gas service motel stations spread all over the state. Just mentioning one state of many where this hypocrite so-called Amal leader posting a picture of Imam Sadr is investing, or putting his mouth where the pocket is.
over 9 years
sure FT stop your idiot posts will you? it ll spare some pollution here... this file is on the table since the sixties... M14 had power then? LOL.....
over 9 years
and Berry is M8... funny how an M8er insults another M8er... it sums it all up... hate hate and hate... poor M8ers, their life is pityful...
over 9 years
sure hariri and sinioura ruled Lebanon since the sixties! LOL
poor idiot...
never the syrians? your beloved friends that you thanked for all their good deeds towards lebanon?
Berri: Israel Started Stealing Lebanon's Gas
better than you stealing it..