Biden Administration Kills Israel-to-Europe Gas Pipeline in yet another gift to Russia’s energy sector

Few in the mainstream media are reporting on this terrible decision made by the Biden Administration. Biden killing the Israel-to-Europe pipeline was another gift to Russia’s energy sector by the Biden Administration. The EastMed pipeline would have enabled Israel to export natural gas to mainland Europe by way of Greece and Cyprus. Thereby reducing Europe’s dependence on Russia for it’s energy needs. The Biden Administration new this but killed it anyway, at the behest of John Kerry and the environmentalist radicals. Once again, the Biden Administration is a dangerous joke. Watch former U.S envoy to Israel David Friedman’s statements below. It’s a must watch.

In my conversation on Fox with Pete Hegseth this morning, I point out that in addition to cancelling Keystone, Biden also cancelled the East Med Pipeline which would have greatly reduced Europe’s dependency on Russian energy. Take a look. https://t.co/0jYu0csmeX

— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) February 27, 2022

אז זה המצב במציאות.
בהצלחה לאירופה. pic.twitter.com/97gqG3fS7o

— Gadi Taub (@GadiTaub1) February 26, 2022

Biden Administration Kills Israel-to-Europe Gas Pipeline

By EastMedNews, February 27, 2022

• Biden’s decision — reportedly coordinated with Turkey but reached without consulting Israel, Greece or Cyprus, the main countries involved in the project — undercuts three of the strongest American allies in the Mediterranean region.
• EastMed’s cancellation — variously described as a “disastrous decision,” a “strategic mistake” and an act of “appeasement” of Erdoğan — represents a major geopolitical victory for the Turkish strongman.
• The EastMed pipeline has been in the works for more than a decade. The Israel-Greece-Cyprus project — joined by Bulgaria, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia — has long been seen as a way to diversify natural gas supplies to Europe.
• The Turkish government has always insisted that Israeli gas can only be sold to Europe through Turkey.
• “The Americans do not want the pipeline because Ankara might ‘get angry.’” — Theofrastos Andreopoulos, defense analyst, defensenet.gr.
• “If Erdogan perceives the non-paper as some form of appeasement by Washington, he will simply double down on his gunboat diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean and play the role of spoiler in the region.” — Richard Goldberg, a member of the U.S. National Security Council during the Trump administration.
• Is the Biden administration truly concerned about climate change, or does it want to prevent Israel from becoming a strategically important supplier of natural gas to Europe?
• “The reversal on the EastMed pipeline becomes only more hypocritical and offensive given the fact that President Biden continues to clear the path towards completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.” — U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
• “This is a disastrous decision that imperils European security and opens the door for further Russian energy hegemony in European gas markets. It should be reversed.” — Ariel Cohen, veteran energy analyst, The Hill.
• “Turkey is not looking to participate in Eastern Mediterranean initiatives, it wants to dominate them. Ankara’s goal is not one of cooperation but of regional primacy if not hegemony.” — Endy Zemenides, Executive Director, Hellenic American Leadership Council.

The Biden administration has abruptly withdrawn American support for the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) pipeline, a project aimed at shipping natural gas from Israel to European markets. The White House said the project was antithetical to its “climate goals.”

In reaching its decision, which effectively kills EastMed, the White House appears to have caved to pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has vociferously opposed the underwater pipeline because it would bypass Turkey.

Biden’s decision — reportedly coordinated with Turkey but reached without consulting Israel, Greece or Cyprus, the main countries involved in the project — undercuts three of the strongest American allies in the Mediterranean region.

The White House could not have chosen a less opportune moment to announce its decision. With tensions rising between Russia and Ukraine, Europe (which relies on Russia for approximately one-third of its natural gas supplies) is searching for alternative sources of gas to reduce its overreliance on Moscow.

The Biden administration’s decision also smacks of hypocrisy. The White House claims that it wants the Mediterranean region to transition to “clean energy,” but it recently announced its support for the Russia-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would double shipments of Russian natural gas to Germany.

EastMed’s cancellation — variously described as a “disastrous decision,” a “strategic mistake” and an act of “appeasement” of Erdoğan — represents a major geopolitical victory for the Turkish strongman. Analysts worry that he will be emboldened to continue escalating tensions in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean in his quest to expand Turkish control over energy supply routes to Europe.