3 ms·
I'm not sure what kind of alternative reality the author is living in. As a matter of fact, there already is an existing "Suez Canal rival through Israel", alb
by maratc 6y ago
I'm not sure what kind of alternative reality the author is living in.
As a matter of fact, there already is an existing "Suez Canal rival through Israel", albeit for oil and oil products only - the Trans-Israel Pipeline[0]. It can pump oil between a port on the Red Sea and another one on Mediterranean. Predictably, no one is using that.
The situation where lots of oil tankers go through Suez in opposing directions each day is clearly suboptimal anyway.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Israel_pipeline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Israel_pipeline
- bobthepanda 6y agoI mean, no one is using it because working with Israel has been a political third rail for decades in most countries that might otherwise be interested. From the article it sounds like the thaw with the UAE might result in them sending their oil through it.
- TimTheTinker 6y agoLooks like it'll be piping UAE oil pretty soon. This deal was signed in September 2020: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-emirates-israel-pipeline/israeli-pipeline-company-signs-deal-to-bring-uae-oil-to-europe-idUSKBN275155 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-emirates-israel-pipeline/...
- maratc 6y agoAll it takes is one sea to sea missile (maybe of Iranian origin but not necessarily so) into a ship that just passed that $80B canal, for the other ships to stop using it and $80B go to waste.
- bobthepanda 6y agoYou could say the same exact thing about the Suez, and yet it's this vital link everyone is using. Egypt is no bastion of neutrality.
- maratc 6y agoYou are right but still there are no countries that go as far as to deny Egypt's right to exist as a state. Also Suez Canal is not a new invention and everyone is already using that, as the alternatives are worse. This would not be the case with that hypothetical Israeli channel, as it would be brand-new, and the alternatives (Suez Canal) would be better.