Why is the Israeli-Palestinian War really happening?

RT reported that, "Geologists and natural resources economists have confirmed that the Occupied Palestinian Territory lies above sizable reservoirs of oil and natural gas wealth, in Area C of the occupied West Bank and the Mediterranean coast off the Gaza Strip."

"To date, the real and opportunity costs of the occupation exclusively in the area of oil and natural gas have accumulated to tens, if not hundreds, of billions of dollars."

"Back in 1999, the Palestinian authorities signed a deal with British Gas, just off the Gaza Coast, they "struck it lucky", and two wells were drilled: Gaza Marine One and Two. It was a multi-billion dollar "Gift from God" and an economic boon both home and abroad."

Palestinian-Israeli BG Concessions Manager Hugh Miller said, "This is one of the key messages here today. There will be gas available for export. And from my conversations with Palestinian officials, including President Arafat, it is clear that they have no interest in just sitting on a gas surplus."

Taylor adds, "Fast forward to 2007, Hamas comes to power, and Israel launches an offensive on the Gaza Strip, leaving behind 1,400 Palestinians killed in ‘cast lead’ operation, taking with it, the gas fields."

"In 2007, Israel announced the discovery of the Leviathan natural gas field, which did include Gaza’s riches, all in all valued at $453 billion. Since then, Gaza has not seen a shekel or, to be more accurate, they have been denied around $47.7 billion in revenue. As for Tel Aviv, it’s gunning to become a new hub."

Israeli Energy Minister (2021-2022), Karine Elharrar, said, "This is a historical moment in which the small country of Israel becomes a significant player in the global energy market."

Elharrar continued, "The Memorandum of Understanding will enable Israel, for the first time, to export Israeli natural gas to Europe, and it is even more impressive looking at the significant set of agreements we signed over the last year, which position Israel and the Israeli energy and water sectors as a key global player."

RT Correspondent Saskia Taylor continues, "Let’s just run through this then. At that moment in time, we’re talking 2022, Russian oil and gas was sanctioned, Iranian oil was sanctioned, Syrian oil fields were, and still are, illegally occupied by U.S. forces. The key Port of Latakia was being bombed by Israel. The port of Beirut in Lebanon, the "Gateway to the Middle East" lay in ruins. Enter Israel, with its seas of gas, its working ports, and answer to Europe’s problems, and perhaps, most critically, the U.S. blessing."

"In case you didn’t know. U.S. Congress has decided that Israeli energy is in the highest national security interests of the United States to develop covered energy sources."

"Another interesting application of nuclear excavation would be a sea-level canal 160 miles long across Israel, connecting the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Aqaba (and thus the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean). Such a canal would be a strategically valuable alternator to the present Suez Canal."

"The Suez Canal is a gold mine: It connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, via the Red Sea, it is the link between Asia and Europe. Every day, almost 3 million barrels of oil, 8% of global energy, 50 ships, $9 billion worth of cargo, 12% of global trade, all pass through the Suez Canal."

"Remember in 2021 how a container ship ran aground in the Suez? Global trade was brought to its knees. The alternative route, via the Cape of Good Hope, adds around 9 days and 7,000 kilometers to the journey. There is no replacement for the Suez Canal, except, perhaps, for the Ben Gurion Canal."

She continues, “Now, what the U.S. had been thinking about back in the 1960s was dropping 520 nuclear bombs on parts of Israel, all to build a 260 kilometer-long canal that would start at the Red Sea down in the port city of Eilat and pour out into the Mediterranean. Where, exactly? Right next to Northern Gaza, the same Northern Gaza that is currently being bombarded and depopulated.”

“Egypt and its money-making Suez Canal would just be sidelined. The same Egypt that, rumor has It, is now considering taking in refugees in exchange for debt relief by the U.S.”

Taylor quips, “And if you think it’s crude of me to talk business during times of an existential war, think again.”

Israeli Energy Minister, Israel Katz said, “The winning companies have committed to unprecedented investment in natural gas exploration over the next three years, which would hopefully result in the discovery of new natural gas reservoirs.”

“In recent weeks, Tel Aviv has handed out 12 new licenses to 6 companies, on top of the plan to tap more of the Gaza marine resources. This area is a strategic gold mine. The Israelis have their largest foreign base down the Red Sea, just off of Eritrea. And here, a bit further down, Beijing has a naval base in Djibouti, a key piece in its global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road [Initiative], hated by London, Brussels, and Washington, alike. Always ask yourself, who benefits? Because war is horror and war is hell, but never forget that war, above all else, is big business.”

This story was originally reported by RT, then transcribed by Toria Brooke.