Israel: Chairman pledges to uncover truth about gas deal

Economic Affairs Committee chairman Eitan Cabel pledged Saturday night to “tear off the masks” of those exploiting the Israeli public ahead of Sunday’s discussions of the final step necessary toward activating the country’s natural gas outline.

Although the deal in question received both required cabinet authorization in August and additional Knesset backing in September, implementing the outline still demands that the economy minister invoke a legal clause to circumvent the objections of the antitrust commissioner. After former economy minister Arye Deri’s resigned from his position three weeks ago, it became Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s responsibility as economy minister to consult with the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee prior to activating that clause – known as Article 52.

“Starting Sunday, the Economic Affairs Committee under my leadership will launch a professional and serious quest to uncover the reasons why the economy minister and prime minister insist upon bypassing the professional authority of all the regulators by making use of a power that has never been used before,” Cabel wrote on Facebook.

Explaining that he has met with experts on the subject “with an open heart and a willing soul,” the committee chairman stressed that almost all of them have described the outline as “the lesser of the evils.” He expressed his disappointment that relevant officials are not working toward obtaining a solution that is actually positive for Israeli citizens, rather than simply advancing the least offensive option.

“I will fight with all the parliamentary means at my disposal to tear off the masks from the faces of those exploiting the fact that most of the public does not understand the implications of this outline for the future of Israeli citizens,” Cabel said.

Full content: The Jerusalem Post

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