Jordan’s parliament on Sunday approved a draft law to ban imports of Israeli gas to the country, in the wake of mass protests against the government’s multi-billion-dollar agreement with Tel Aviv.
The motion, which was passed unanimously by Jordan’s 130 lawmakers, will be referred to the cabinet to be made law, although legal hurdles may prevent it from coming into force.
25 #Jordan MPs Walk out in Protest of Gas Deal with Israel – https://t.co/MzqUVVfhsh #Palestine pic.twitter.com/E6tmWYWRqs
— al whit (@soitiz) January 6, 2020
The text states that “the government, its ministries, and state institutions and companies are prohibited from importing gas from Israel.”
A source in the Israeli energy industry, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters:
“The gas agreement between Jordanian National Electric Power Company and American-based Noble Energy is being implemented from early January 2020, and no change is expected in that regard.”
‘Black Day’ for the Country: Israeli #Gas Arrives in #Jordan https://t.co/jMQk6PnyP3 via @PalestineChron #Israel #Leviathan #normalization pic.twitter.com/abXNYlMiIh
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 2, 2020
On January 1, the official Jordanian National Electricity Company (NEPCO) announced that the first shipments of Israeli natural gas have been pumped to the country.
“It’s a black day in the history of Jordan,” said a statement issued by the Islamic Action Front, Jordan’s most powerful political opposition party.
Hunders of demonstrators marching in downtown Amman to protest the Israel-Jordan gas deal 17/1/2020.@BDSmovement @BDSJordan@StopGasDeal#غاز_العدو_احتلال pic.twitter.com/4RwmJGl40p
— Sherbel Dissi (@SherbelDissi) January 17, 2020
On January 5, 25 members of Jordan’s parliament walked out of a session in protest against the country’s gas deal with Israel.
(Palestine Chronicle, Reuters, Social Media)
