Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also holds the economy portfolio, submitted an affidavit to the High Court of Justice on Monday defending his natural gas policy. The proposed framework, seeking to regulate the exploration, harvesting and development of Israel's offshore gas fields, has been contested by multiple legal petitions seeking to repeal it. In the affidavit, the prime minister detailed his reasoning for invoking his authority under Article 52 of the Restrictive Trade Practices Law -- a legal clause designed to circumvent the antitrust commissioner's objections to waivers granted to natural gas developers. "I believe that without this framework, including all of its key components, Israel's security and economy will suffer real damage, and significant foreign policy opportunities will have been squandered. As far as I am concerned, there is no alternative framework," Netanyahu stressed in the affidavit. In the nine-page document, Netanyahu further explained that "the freeze in Israel's natural gas market following the antitrust commissioner's decisions could, in my best estimate, significantly undermine the state's security and its foreign relations, as well as prevent the State of Israel from taking advantage of current opportunities that will not arise again." "To wit, I am already witnessing important diplomatic opportunities that the natural gas framework has opened up for the state of Israel, which will foster stronger foreign relations," he added. Netanyahu noted that since the natural gas framework was put in place in December, he met with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during the World Economic Forum in Davos and discussed with him the new geopolitical opportunities that the development of natural gas in Israel would create, particularly with Turkey. He added that he has also met with the prime minister of Greece and the president of Cyprus in an effort to channel Israel's natural gas resources into strengthening diplomatic ties with those countries. In addition, Netanyahu wrote that "the State of Israel is maintaining ongoing diplomatic dialogue with Turkey and Egypt over potential gas exports to them, and to other countries through them."
Meretz leader MK Zehava Galon issued a statement on Monday saying, "The prime minister is trying to use his political power to strike fear into the court with this affidavit, which does not address the point and does not introduce anything new to the discussion."
