Noble, the majority owner of the fields’ licenses, along with several minority Israeli companies, demanded the Israeli government cease antitrust procedures against the consortium, allow it to flexibly set gas prices for retail, and permit the company to export a great deal of the gas rather than provide it solely to local consumers.īut many in the Israeli public, who realized they’d be getting fleeced by such a brazen privatization of a newfound common resource, would have none of it. Israel, a small country that traditionally imported most of its fossil fuel energy, was suddenly thrown into a political whirlwind over regulatory and ownership rights.
Throughout her nearly two decades in the Senate, Landrieu had served on the crucial Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and in her last year in Congress even chaired the committee.īetween 20, two huge natural gas fields were discovered off the Israeli coast by an international exploration and production consortium of private corporations led by Houston-based Noble Energy. Her frantic – and failed – attempts to pass the Keystone XL pipeline through legislation in 2014 have forever earned her the scorn of North American activists.īut much less recognized are Landrieu’s substantial efforts while in Congress to strengthen the energy ties between Israel and the United States, and, in particular, advance the interests of American fossil fuel companies operating in the Holy Land.Īs Senator, she was in a critical political position to make a substantial impact. Both projects are highly contentious and have sparked massive protests by members of the Israeli public.Īs a representative of an oil and gas producing state, Landrieu’s enormous industry backing was well known throughout her political career. Noble is involved in offshore natural gas drilling in the Mediterranean, while Genie is exploring oil shale formations southwest of Jerusalem and liquid crude in the Golan Heights.
These same firms, Noble Energy and Genie Energy, donated campaign money to Landrieu, who lost her Senate seat in December 2014. Former US Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), who while in congress was highly active in promoting the interests of two American oil and gas companies operating in Israel, has recently been hired by these companies as lobbyist and advisor.
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