At an emergency session of the Knesset’s Social-Environment Lobby on Wednesday, some 60 MKs signed a letter demanding that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu bring the issue of determining gas export allocations to the legislature. “The decision on the issue of exporting the gas from reservoirs discovered near Israel’s coasts bears far-reaching economic, social and environmental implications,” said the letter, written by MK Dov Khenin (Hadash), chairman of the lobby. “The issue is a weighty one and it should be discussed and ultimately decided by the hands of the Knesset, in the framework of a comprehensive and transparent public and professional discussion,” he continued.

The emergency meeting was attended by Knesset members Moshe Gafni, Moshe Mizrahi, Reuven Rivlin, Yifat Kariv, Merav Michaeli, Stav Shafir, Nitzan Horowitz, Michal Rozin, Eitan Cabel, Micky Rosenthal, Avishay Braverman, Environment Minister Amir Peretz, Shelly Yechimovich, and Tamar Zandberg, who were joined by members of various environmental and social organizations: Green Course, Adam Teva Vedin, the Israel Energy Forum and dozens of activists.

A demonstration in Jerusalem: “The Israeli gas for the Israeli people” (Photo: Green Course)

MK Khenin opened the meeting by saying, “There is a clear majority in the Knesset behind the demand to bring the question of gas exports for discussion and decision by the Knesset. This is a question of huge significance. It cannot be decided behind closed doors, in proceedings that are not open to the public. In my view, a decision to allow gas exports will be a mistake in every respect. Economically, it will cause a rise in the price of gas to industry and for production of electricity in Israel. Socially, it is clear that higher prices will fall on Israel’s citizens, with all the harsh consequences of that. Environmentally, the decision will hit the transition to cleaner production processes and will bring in train air pollution and health hazards. We call on the public to make its voice heard and to show here too that the era in which secret coups can be carried out in favor of tycoons is over.”