ISRAEL HAS BEGUN ISSUING EXPLORATION LICENCES FOR PALESTINIAN-OWNED GAS FIELDS
October 12, 2024Israel has given exploration licenses for natural gas in locations that are considered to be within Palestine’s maritime boundary in preparation for “occupying” these areas.
Israel, having killed tens of thousands of civilians in attacks and occupation of the Gaza Strip, announced the results of the tender it organized for exploration in Palestinian waters in December 2022 on Oct. 29 last year, just days after it intensified its attacks in Gaza.
Within the scope of the tender, the Israeli administration granted licenses to six Israeli and international companies to explore natural gas in areas that are deemed to fall under Palestinian maritime borders in accordance with international law.
On Feb. 5, Adalah, the Legal Center for the Protection of Arab Minority Rights in Israel, sent a letter to the Israeli Energy Ministry demanding the cancellation of such gas exploration licenses issued in these areas.
Following Adalah’s request, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Ramallah-based human rights organization, Al-Haq, along with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), similarly issued warnings to companies holding licenses not to carry out any activities in these areas.
“Israel is the occupying power in the Gaza Strip and exercises full and effective control over Palestine’s maritime areas. The issuance of the tender and the subsequent granting of licenses for exploration in this area constitute a violation of international humanitarian law (IHL) and customary international law,” Adalah said in a statement.
“The tenders, issued in accordance with Israeli domestic law, effectively amount to the de facto and de jure annexation of the Palestinian maritime areas claimed by Palestine, as they seek to supersede applicable IHL norms by instead applying Israeli domestic law to the area in the context of managing and exploiting natural resources,” Adalah added.
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