A7News: Leviathan natural gas platform on its way to Israel

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Sunday, Jul. 14 '19, י"א בתמוז תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. LEVIATHAN NATURAL GAS PLATFORM ON ITS WAY TO ISRAEL
2. HEZBOLLAH WARNS IRAN ABLE TO BOMBARD ISRAEL IF WAR STARTED
3. 'PA STRENGTHENING TIES WITH BDS ORGANIZATIONS'
4. AFULA OPENS CITY PARK TO WIDER PUBLIC AMID DISCRIMINATION CLAIM
5. PM: WE WILL DELIVER A CRUSHING BLOW TO HEZBOLLAH
6. BIDEN: 'OCCUPATION IS A REAL PROBLEM'
7. NETANYAHU OFFERS TO APPOINT BENNETT AMBASSADOR TO UN
8. YA'ALON: 'DARKNESS' COMING OUT OF RELIGIOUS ZIONISM


1. LEVIATHAN NATURAL GAS PLATFORM ON ITS WAY TO ISRAEL
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The largest energy project in the history of the State of Israel is reaching its final stages of completion and remains on schedule to deliver first commercial gas sales to the Israel domestic market and regional markets before the end of the year.

In recent weeks the Leviathan partnership –comprised of Noble Energy, Delek Drilling and Ratio – completed the construction and testing of the production units (topsides) of the Leviathan Platform that will process natural gas from the reservoir and transport it to Israel's national gas pipeline.

The first of five operational units that comprise the topsides set sail from Texas. In the coming weeks, the remaining units will set sail for Israel.The topside units, built during the past 26 months by Noble Energy experts and subcontractors specializing in complex offshore projects, will cross the Atlantic Ocean and arrive in Israeli waters at the end of the Summer.

Considerable activity will take place in the Leviathan Platform area offshore after the topside units arrive on large barges. They will be accompanied by a fleet of vessels that will enable a team of workers to assemble the five topside units on top of the platform jacket into a complete operational structure in September. The hoisting and assembly work will be performed by the largest offshore crane in the world.The area will be closed to maritime traffic. The entire process will take approximately four weeks, after which the crane and barges will leave the area. Crew vessels and supply boats will continue to serve the platform over the life of the platform.

The Leviathan Platform will be set at a water depth of 86 meters, and the height of the topsides from sea level to the top level is 47 meters. The platform boom, which reaches a height of 130 meters above sea level, is part of the platform safety system.

The platform topside decks, which are 102 meters long, 80 meters wide and weigh 38,000 tons, will be located approximately 10 kilometers from the shore.

The topsides will house the platform's gas processing facilities, accommodations for the team of workers, work areas and helipad. The flare located at the tip of the platform boom is part of the platform's safety systems and is designed to prevent hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, the topsides will contain all of the utilities required to operate the platform including power generation, water desalination and waste treatment. In essence, the platform is not dependent on onshore facilites for any of its utility needs.

After connecting and assembling the topside units of the platform, Noble Energy will start a series of commissioning tests before initiating commercial gas flow to the domestic market before the end of 2019.

For the first time in history, Israel will also become a significant energy exporter when flow of Leviathan natural gas to Israel's neighbors begins.

Connecting the Leviathan pipeline will make it possible for the Israeli energy sector to be based almost exclusively on electricity generated by natural gas, leading to a significant reduction in pollution and improved air quality in Israel.

Noble Energy has discovered 40 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of recoverable natural gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean. The 22-Tcf Leviathan reservoir discovered in December 2010, 125 kilometers west of Haifa, was one of the largest natural gas finds in the world in the last decade.The Leviathan Partnership invested $3.75 billion in development of the reservoir.

The first phase of the Leviathan development included drilling four production wells at an average depth of 5 kilometers below sea level. Each well has a production capacity of 300 million cubic feet of natural gas per day (MMcf/d), with a total annual production capacity of around 12 billion cubic meters (Bcm) – more than doubling the quantity of natural gas produced in Israel today.

Natural gas from the reservoir will be transmitted through two 120-kilometer sub-sea pipelines directly to the Leviathan Platform. Natural gas will be processed at the platform before the treated gas and stabilized condensate flow from the platform through a northern entry pipeline connected to the INGL (Israel Natural Gas Lines) national gas transmission system, as defined in the National Outline Plan.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265933


2. HEZBOLLAH WARNS IRAN ABLE TO BOMBARD ISRAEL IF WAR STARTED
by AFP

The head of Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah said Friday that US ally Israel would not be "neutral" if a war broke out between the United States and Iran.

And "Iran is able to bombard Israel with ferocity and force," Hassan Nasrallah said in an interview broadcast on Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.

His remarks came after weeks of increasing tensions between the United States and Iran, and as US President Donald Trump steps up his war of words with the Islamic Republic.

"When the Americans understand that this war could wipe out Israel, they will reconsider," Nasrallah said.

"Our collective responsibility in the region is to work towards preventing an American war on Iran," he said.

He said neither Saudi Arabia nor the United Arab Emirates had any interest in a conflict erupting.

On Friday, the US House of Representatives voted to restrict Trump's ability to attack Iran, voicing fear that his hawkish policies are pushing toward a needless war.

Hezbollah is considered to be a terrorist organisation by the United States, and is the only faction not to have disarmed after the Lebanese 1975-1990 civil war.

But it is also a major political player in the small Mediterranean country, taking 13 seats in parliament last yea and securing three posts in the current cabinet.

Nasrallah also said he had decreased the number of his movement's fighters supporting the Damascus regime in neighboring war-torn Syria.

"The Syrian army has greatly recovered and has found that today it does not need us," he said.

"We are present in every area that we used to be. We are still there, but we don't need to be there in large numbers as long as there is no practical need," he said.

The head of the Iran-backed Shiite movement, which has been fighting in Syria since 2013, did not give details on the extent of the reduction.

Backed by Russia and Iran, the Damascus government has taken back large swathes of territory from rebels and jihadists since 2015, and now controls around 60 percent of the country.

Nasrallah spoke after Washington announced fresh sanctions Tuesday against Hezbollah, targeting elected officials from the movement for the first time.

Nasrallah said none of his fighters were currently involved in fighting in Syria's northwestern region of Idlib, where regime and Russian forces have increased deadly bombardments on a jihadist-run bastion since late April.

But "if there was a need to return, all those who were there would go back" to Syria, he added.

Responding to a question about repeated Israeli air strikes on Syria, he said the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "deceiving his people."

"He is playing a game of brinkmanship, because Iran will not leave Syria," he warned.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in neighboring Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah military targets. It has vowed to keep Iran from entrenching itself militarily there.

Nasrallah's interview came to mark the start of his movement's 2006 war with Israel, which killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and more than 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

Both countries are still technically at war, and a UN peacekeeping force has said three tunnels have been found to have dug under the border from Lebanon into Israel since late last year.

The group's leader warned that key Israeli installations along the Mediterranean coast including Tel Aviv were "within range of our rockets."


3. 'PA STRENGTHENING TIES WITH BDS ORGANIZATIONS'
by Eliran Aharon

Public Security and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan will present a report at the cabinet meeting with the heads of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs on incitement in the Palestinian Authority and on its growing relations with BDS organizations.

"I think the main innovation that can be seen in the last six months is the tightening of the connection between the Palestinian Authority and the idea of ​​BDS, an idea of ​​a boycott of the State of Israel," Erdan said.

"Anyone who thinks that there is a partner on the Palestinian side, I think that the report we will present today states unequivocally that Abu Mazen and senior PA officials are all directed in one clear direction: delegitimization of the State of Israel as a Jewish state and its existence as a Jewish state.

The minister stated that there are steps that should be taken as a result of the data presented in the report: "This should be expressed later in our political activity. We are also working constantly to reduce the funding sources of the boycott organizations."

Erdan said that although BDS organizations have not been successful, they stilll constitute a long-term threat, "We are succeeding in defeating the boycott organizations time after time. This does not mean that the challenge of delegitimizing the State of Israel is not a significant medium- and long-term challenge, because when there is a campaign of incitement and incitement and lies on the part of the Palestinian Authority, The younger generation in Western countries around the world and create may great difficulties for us in the future, both political and economic."

When asked by Arutz Sheva about the Trump Administration's attempt to reach a political settlement with the Palestinian Authority in light of the report published by his office, Erdan said: "We welcome any attempt to advance a political process in the Middle East, but we can not be naïve when Abu Mazen and his entire leadership are intent on delegitimizing the State of Israel."

Minister Erdan evaded the question of whether he relinquished the role of ambassador to the United Nations, and responded "when I have something to inform you on this matter, I will be happy to inform you."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265934


4. AFULA OPENS CITY PARK TO WIDER PUBLIC AMID DISCRIMINATION CLAIM
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The Municipality of Afula decided Sunday to allow non-residents of the city entry to the municipal park, at the request of the Nazareth District Court.

The court held a hearing on the petition of the extreme left-wing organization Adalah, and the judge ruled that closing a public area and collecting payment at the entrance is illegal.

Since the beginning of June, the municipality of Afula has prevented non-residents of the city from entering the municipal park, and Adalah contends that this is intended to prevent Arabs from surrounding villages from entering the park.

Last week, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit referred to the issue, saying that the park should also be open to non-residents.

"A decision on entry and stay in urban parks - which constitute a common public space - cannot be based on considerations of race, religion, nationality, country of origin, sex, sexual orientation or any other inherent characteristic, and a decision apparently made on the basis of one of the aforesaid considerations is a wrong decision that should be canceled," the attorney general said.


5. PM: WE WILL DELIVER A CRUSHING BLOW TO HEZBOLLAH
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to the threats of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday.

"Over the weekend we heard Nasrallah's remarks on his attack plans. It should be clear that if Hezbollah dares to do some nonsense and attacks Israel, we will strike him and Lebanon with a crushing military blow." Netanyahu said.

"In contrast to Nasrallah, I do not intend to detail our plans. It is enough to recall that Nasrallah had – for years – dug terrorist tunnels, which we destroyed within days."

On Friday, Nasrallah boasted that "all of Israel" was within range of Hezbollah's missiles and threatened to strike sensitive targets within the Jewish State.

"We have a larger number of missiles and we have precise missiles that we did not have in 2006. We also have a large and powerful branch of UAVs," claimed Nasrallah in an interviewwith the group's Al-Manar television

During the interview, Nasrallah pulled out a map and explained the range of Hezbollah's missiles.

"Once we said that we could strike targets south of Haifa. Today, we can say that if Israel has sites south of Eilat, then we can also hit them. All of Israel is under the range of our missiles," he said.

"The resistance is stronger than ever despite the sanctions and it improved its capabilities greatly over the past 13 years, and this has been acknowledged by the Israelis," continued Nasrallah.

While he ruled out a war with Israel in the near future due to what he called "the force of deterrence", the Hezbollah leader threatened, "Any war will be bigger than the 2006 war for Israel and it will put it on the brink of extinction."


6. BIDEN: 'OCCUPATION IS A REAL PROBLEM'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265917

During one of the recent election rallies, a Jewish activist approached US presidential candidate Joe Biden and said: "I'm an American jew, who is very concerned about what Netanyahu's government is doing to Palestinians currently".

Biden answered briefly: "There's no answer but a two state solution".

The young man continued and asked: "I am wondering if you think that the occupation is a human rights crisis, and if you'll pressure Israel when you're president"

"The answer is I think the settlements are unnecessary", Biden answered, "The only answer is two state solution, number one. Number two: the Palestinians have to step up to stop the hate. So, it's a two way street".

Asked by the young man whether he believes "the occupation is a human rights crisis", Biden answered: "I think occupation is a real problem, a significant problem".

"And will you pressure Israel to end the occupation as president?" the young man asked. "You know I have", Biden answered.


7. NETANYAHU OFFERS TO APPOINT BENNETT AMBASSADOR TO UN
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have turned to New Right chairman Naftali Bennett, proposing that he be appointed ambassador to the United Nations in return for giving up his participation in the upcoming elections, Ma'ariv reported.

This comes as the end of the term of current Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon approaches. With the proposal, Netanyahu seeks to prevent the New Right from running as an independent party, a situation which would make it easier for Ayelet Shaked to opt for integration into the United Right list.

Bennett's party responded to the report, saying, "The New Right movement headed by Naftali Bennett brings a unique vision of a true, value-based and liberal right, and of Israeli Judaism without coercion, and will run in the elections with all its might in order to be a great and strong force in the next government."

"Every other proposal is irrelevant."

It should be noted that Netanyahu also proposed the role of Israel's ambassador to the United Nations to Minister Gilad Erdan, who has so far not made a decision on whether or not to accept the position.


8. YA'ALON: 'DARKNESS' COMING OUT OF RELIGIOUS ZIONISM
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Former Defense Minister and Blue and White leader Moshe Ya'alon called for the dismissal of Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz for endorsing conversion therapy for homosexuals.

"We must come back and sing 'We came to expel darkness.'" This is one of the symptoms of the leadership crisis that we are in," MK Ya'alon said on Channel 13's Morning News. "The Justice Minister calls for disobedience to Supreme Court rulings and the Education Minister speaks in an irresponsible and dark manner that is not suitable for the State of Israel. Peretz should be fired just as he should have fired the justice minister."

According to Ya'alon, Rabbi Peretz behaved in a commendable manner as the IDF Chief Rabbi "but something is happening in Religious Zionism, large parts of which I greatly admire. There are parts there that are politicized, where everyone tries to be extreme about women, in relation to LGBT. This is what I call the process of darkness of the State of Israel."

"At the end, Binyamin Netanyahu is responsible for this leadership crisis. Everything is subservient to helping Binyamin Netanyahu escape justice. He faces three serious indictments, subject to a hearing, bribery, breach of trust and deceit, and we all pay the price.

He said that the Blue and White party leaders agreed to unite because of the threat they perceived in Prime Minister Netanyahu. "We united in a short time as a result of a sense of emergency, that the state must be saved. We all worked with Netanyahu. We understand what crisis of leadership we are in. In the end he did not succeed in forming a coalition and now he certainly can not form a coalition. Blue and White is the only alternative government. It connects us very strongly, even if we had arguments about certain issues."

"We decided to run in the same format, with the rotation, and Yair Lapid could be an excellent prime minister. In this format, we won 35 seats. More than one million and one hundred thousand voted for us with the understanding that we are the only alternative to Binyamin Netanyahu. We go together and move each argument aside.

Ya'alon said that Blue and White would not agree to run on a joint list with Ehud Barak's new Democratic Israel party. "There are differences of opinion between us. On the diplomatic issue, Ehud Barak gnawed at the positions of Rabin, of blessed memory. When Rabin spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian issue, he spoke about an entity that is less than a state, that there is no reaching the 1967 lines, a swarm of sovereignty over settlement, on the blocs. At the time, he spoke of the Jordan Valley and united Jerusalem. Did you see what happened to Ehud Barak and what that eventually lead to? There is no problem with having him in the coalition, but he cannot run with Blue and White before the elections."