Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet today with the heads of Israel's oil and gas exploration industry, including Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) controlling shareholder Yitzhak Tshuva. The meeting comes after Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz met Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) chairman and CEO Charles Davidson yesterday.
Sources inform ''Globes'' that Netanyahu summoned Steinitz, Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau, and Minister of Environmental Protection Gilad Erdan to a meeting at 2 pm, an hour before the meeting with Tshuva. Steinitz, however, objected to Erdan's presence, on the grounds that he has no standing on the matter.
Three weeks ago, Erdan told "Globes" that he supports Landau. It can therefore be concluded that Steinitz is afraid that he will find himself outnumbered. Landau told "Globes" that if the Tamar gas discovery is not excluded from the Sheshinski committee recommendations, he will not support them.
Netanyahu is apparently laying the groundwork for a compromise on the recommendations, which might amend them, or even fully exempt Tamar from them, against Steinitz's position.
Steinitz's office strongly denied the report, saying that, on Sunday, he welcomed Netanyahu's decision to invite Erdan to the meeting.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 11, 2011
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