By Joschka Fischer For most Europeans, the Mediterranean is an annual object of longing – the holiday idyll where they spend the best weeks of the year. But many Europeans’ sunny view of the region has yielded to lowering clouds of pessimism. Inside the European Union, the ugly term PIGS (Portugal, Italy/Ireland, Greece, Spain) is […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By Taylor Luck AMMAN – Despite the instability on the streets in Cairo, the Kingdom’s strategic energy partnership with Egypt has so far been unaffected, according to officials. Jordan, which relies heavily on natural gas supplies from Egypt for electricity production, is expected to continue receiving the same amount of gas and electricity, according to […]

Read the rest of this entry »

New secular regime in Egypt not expected to harm exports to Israel, but Islamic coup may create economic mayhem Tani Goldstein The violent uprising in Egypt has not stopped the delivery of gas to Israel . So far the Egyptian and Israeli governments have not conveyed any message hinting the supply will stop, despite recent […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON WROBEL 01/31/2011 02:48 Delta Galil shuts down factory. The political upheaval in Egypt may affect planned gas supply agreements with Israel and trigger the exit of foreign investors. “The volume of exports of Israeli goods to Egypt is marginal but Israel is importing large quantities of gas from Egypt, which was expected to […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By Yoram Gabison Israeli companies put their faith in Egyptian gas, signing four new contracts with EMG last month to supply a total of 1.4 billion to 2.9 billion cubic meters of gas, worth a total of $5 to $10 million. EMG is partially owned by Israeli businessman Yossi Maiman through his company Ampal, whose […]

Read the rest of this entry »

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday told French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie he was considering disconnecting the Gaza Strip from Israel’s electricity and water supplies. The plan was originally proposed by Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in the summer of 2010. He suggested that the European Union help build a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By HERB KEINON 01/20/2011 21:20 Lieberman slams PA in talks with French FM; Dennis Ross and David Hale here for talks on Israeli security needs. Talkbacks (36) The Palestinian Authority’s insistence on confronting Israel in international forums at every opportunity cannot go on forever, and will lead to a breakdown in ties between Israel and […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Arab farmers accuse Kurds of ruining them Kirkuk, IRAQ (AFP) A worsening water shortage in Iraq is raising tensions in the multi-ethnic Kirkuk province, where Arab farmers accuse the Kurdistan region of ruining them by closing the valves to a dam in winter. “We are harmed by the Kurds, and the officials responsible for Baghdad […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/31/2011 04:52 More measures to be brought for consideration within month to prevent another price hike. On one of the few rainy days of the winter, the cabinet approved expanding the capacities of the desalination plants and measures for cleaning up polluted wells. A proposed decision by National Infrastructures Minister Uzi […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By Mohammad Ghazal AMMAN – Discussions are underway between the government and IBM to establish a nanotechnology centre for providing innovative solutions in the field of water and energy, according to a senior official. A strategic agreement will be signed soon between the two sides to start preparing for the centre, according to Minister of […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By Taylor Luck AMMAN – Amman will soon be home to a regional commission designed to place renewable energy on the agendas of decision makers across the Arab world. The recently formed Arab Renewable Energy Commission (AREC) has selected Jordan as the location of its headquarters, Jordan Renewable Energy Society (JRES) Director Mohammad Taani said. […]

Read the rest of this entry »

AMMAN (JT) – The Mediterranean Union’s first leader, Jordan’s Ahmad Masadeh, has quit the job after one year in office, saying conditions for the post had changed, Agence France-Presse reported. A statement from his office on Wednesday said: “The general conditions against which he accepted to assume the job have changed.” He would “continue his […]

Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.mectat.com.lb/contents/page154-155.htm CONTENTS 1 Lessons from China (editorial by Najib Saab) 6 Tips for a natural bedroom 20 Trans-boundary water resources in the Arab region (cover story) 28 How the Cancun summit was saved 36 Morocco’s combat against climate change ( by Amina Benkhadra, minister of environment) 38 Seawater intrusion: would it drive Lebanon to desalination? […]

Read the rest of this entry »

‘Why market electric cars when charging them causes as much pollution as gasoline-fueled cars?’ By Daniel Schmil Natural gas power was the subject of the day at automotive conference, hosted by magazine publisher Moto Mass Communication this week. Natural gas is the cleanest fuel, explained Guy Silberman, marketing vice president of Delek Energy Systems. “Why […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By MELANIE LIDMAN 01/28/2011 03:18 Environmental and preservation groups favor plan for luxury complex as only way to save the area at at Jerusalem entrance. An apartment complex may be built at the entrance to the capital, at the site of the abandoned Arab village of Lifta. The Israel Lands Authority published a tender for […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By GIL SHEFLER 01/26/2011 04:24 It is impossible to remain completely oblivious to the fact that the country is experiencing one of its warmest and driest winters ever. Talkbacks (1) Even if one manages to ignore the government-sponsored ads flooding the airwaves alarmingly warning citizens that “Israel is drying up,” it is impossible to remain […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By ROBBIE SABEL 01/19/2011 22:52 The Tamar and Leviathan gas fields belong to Israel. But what happens when more are discovered where maritime boundaries have not been agreed upon? Under the eastern Mediterranean Sea lies what may be some of the world’s biggest natural gas fields. Two of them, Tamar and Leviathan, have already been […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SETH MORRISON 01/19/2011 22:58 The JNF’s reputation and ability to effect positive change would be enhanced by a decision not to plant trees on lands that are in dispute with the Beduin. Talkbacks (8) The boycott, divest, sanctions (BDS) movement is using the challenges faced by the country’s Beduin population to justify cutting off […]

Read the rest of this entry »

A new bill, aims to cancel out a vital tool in assessing the long-term effect of building plans. By Zafrir Rinat Almost every week members of the Knesset gather to promote the funeral of the natural landscape in Israel. In a joint forum of the Economic Affairs Committee and Internal Affairs and Environment Committee, they […]

Read the rest of this entry »