Published: February 05, 2011
Op-Ed Contributor
Egypt Gas Pipeline Attacked
By Robert Paul Reyes
"An explosion shook a gas terminal in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, setting off a massive blaze that was contained by shutting off the flow of gas to neighboring Jordan and Israel, officials and witnesses said.
Egypt's natural gas company said the fire was caused by a gas leak, but a local security official said an explosive device was detonated inside the terminal and the regional governor said he suspected sabotage." The Jerusalem Post
Egypt is in chaos and it's unclear if the Muslim Brotherhood, the military, or a coalition government that resembles a democracy will emerge when the dust settles. But one thing is crystal clear, the decades of relative peace between Israel and Egypt is the first casualty of the Egyptian revolution.
Israel imports about 40 percent of the natural gas it needs from Egypt, and if Egypt decides to stop selling gas to Israel or if the gas terminal is destroyed by terrorists, Israel will be in serious trouble.
The next Egyptian regime, even if it's not dominated by the Brotherhood, will most likely sever its diplomatic and economic ties with Israel. If the Muslim Brotherhood controls the government it's a near certainty that it will abolish the peace treaty with Israel.
Israel will be forced to spend billions to defend its border with Israel, and of course most of that money will come from the United States.
There will be months and years of upheaval in the Middle East, and you don't have to be a psychic to predict that the US and Israel are in for tough times.
Follow Robert Paul Reyes on Twitter: http://twitter.com/robertpaulreyes
Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze.
* The views of Opinion writers do not necessarily reflect the views of NewsBlaze
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