"Gas is an energy source that gives Israel a new economic horizon. It could give us both economic strength and economic independence," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he accepted the Tzemach Committee report on natural gas policy yesterday. He added, "I think that it is important that we develop it wisely and responsibly. I intend to study the report and submit decisions that will give us future prosperity."
Netanyahu went on to change the subject, "What the State of Israel needs now is a responsible budget. I remind you that in the face of global unrest, we succeeded in lowering the unemployment rate. Today it stands at 7.2%; it was higher. Today, it is higher in the US and in Europe. There it is 11% and there are countries in which 50% of young people are unemployed. I am not prepared for that to happen here. So that it does not happen here, the State of Israel needs a responsible budget."
Minister of Energy and Water Resources Uzi Landau said, "Gas exports are a condition for energy security and competition in the industry. We want to ensure and motivate developers to explore, find, and develop gas fields. We want to attract big oil, and to do so, we must have economic certainty."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 30, 2012
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