Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night informed Knesset Economics Committee chairman MK Eitan Cabel (Zionist Union) that he plans invoking Clause 52 of the Antitrust Law and thus implementing the gas outline agreement by bypassing the Antitrust Authority. Netanyahu is taking this step in his capacity of Minister of Economy after the resignation of Aryeh Deri. In his letter to Cabel, Netanyahu said that he wanted to consult with the Economics Committee before invoking the clause for the first time in the country's history.
Last Sunday, Deri said that he was resigning with a heavy heart. He said, "I regret the decision to resign and the reason is that I cannot find a way to solve the implementation of the gas outline agreement. I said from my first day in office as Minister of Economy that I would not sign clause 52 to bypass the Antitrust commissioner and as there was not a majority in the Knesset to remove my authority, I has no choice but to resign because the country needs the gas agreement. The agreement that I have worked for includes improvements that make it the least possible bad agreement for the country, which needs the billions of shekels that the gas will bring in."
After Deri's resignation, Netanyahu said, "We are taking a major step forward in supplying gas to the State of Israel. The gas will be the number one engine of growth in Israel in the coming years. This is first of all a great investment of billions of dollars in the coming two years and the creation of a satellite industry, which will provide jobs for many Israelis. Providing gas will help lower energy prices and lower the cost of living. It will also give Israel energy independence. We will not be dependent on foreign energy sources and this is a very important thing for the State of Israel. It will also inject hundreds of billions of shekels over the next 20 years for the citizens of Israel, for welfare budgets, health budgets a very important thing for the country."
Regarding the agreement he made with Deri, Netanyahu said, "To the Ministry of the Negev and the Galilee will be added dealing with the social periphery and it will be called the Ministry for the Promotion of the Periphery, Negev and Galilee. I am sure that we will subsequently also be able to add important expressions of status to Minister Deri as the head of one of the most important political parties in the coalition. He is a senior and experienced minister in Israeli governments.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 6, 2015
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