ישראל קונה נפט בסתר מהאיש החזק במזרח לוב, הגנראל ח’ליפה חפתר
اسرائيل تشتري النفط من الرجل القوي في شرق ليبيا، المشير خليفة حفتر
LIBYAN OIL FINDS ITS WAY INTO ISRAEL
Please note that we decided to withhold the name of the vessel along with the dates for the time being. We have however all the AIS data and satellite imagery to support this report. #OOTT pic.twitter.com/UoaVq95P7N
— TankerTrackers.com🛢 (@TankerTrackers) April 26, 2018
It’s been widely reported that Israel has, in the past, bought Kurdish oil of dubious provenance. In fact, news reports said that much of the oil originated from oil fields controlled by ISIS. That means that Israel, which regularly rails about the supposed global jihadi campaign to turn the world into an Islamic caliphate, actually bought oil which subsidized ISIS. Nowadays, with ISIS on the run, its control of Iraqi oil fields is non-existent. So much of the oil Israel continues to buy from the Kurds may actually come from Kurdish wells.
What’s also interesting about this trade is that much of it goes through the Turkish port of Ceyhan. Which means that Turkey, which claims to be an implacable enemy of the Kurds, is actually helping Iraqi Kurds to sell their oil (and taking a cut of it, no doubt). Not to mention that despite Turkey’s dictator, Erdogan, thundering regularly about Israel’s miserable treatment of the Palestinians (he expelled Israel’s ambassador yesterday), he too colludes in a scheme to supply Israel with much-needed oil.
Israel’s western economy, not to mention the enormous needs of its military, require immense amounts of oil. In the past, Israel has also bought Iranian oil in violation of the international sanctions it supposedly supports. Israel is not above betraying its principles to get hold of this much-needed black gold.
But tonight’s post reveals something little known (until now). Israel is now buying Libyan oil from fields under control of Libyan dictator, Gen. Haftar. Tanker Tracker tweeted on April 26th about the circuitous sailings of an unnamed tanker which loaded Kurdish oil in Ceyhan, arrived at Ashdod and unloaded its cargo. Then the tanker sailed to Crete, where it remained anchored for a week or so, until it set sail for the Libyan port of Eis Sidr. There it took on another load of oil from Haftar-controlled fields and set sail for Greece. After leaving Greece, it set sail for Port Said. However, on its way it diverted course and turned again toward Ashdod, where it offloaded the Libyan crude.
This commerce is part of a much larger picture of military and intelligence support, and weapons deals from Arab states and Israel for Haftar in return for an oil concession and other benefits. I’ve reported (based on this Kuwaiti story) that IAF warplanes attacked ISIS armed formations in support of Haftar’s troops.
All of this was negotiated between Israeli intelligence officials and Haftar himself when he visited Jordan some time ago. Intelligence Online (IO) reported that these contacts were facilitated by Libyan Jews who had emigrated to Israel. Lest one worry that this might be seen as a betrayal by the internationally-recognized Libyan government which is fighting against Haftar, the Mossad is also making contacts with that side as well. As far as Israel is concerned, it will sell weapons and advanced military technology to both sides and let them use it to kill each other. They’re only Arabs, after all.
Another factor in Israel’s considerations is that ISIS elements inside Libya, according to IO, were trafficking in weapons which were shipped via Egypt to Gaza, on behalf of Hamas. So it used Haftar to try to turn off that spigot.
Though there is an UN weapons embargo against Haftar, he receives similar levels of support from the UAE and Egypt. The latter sees him as a Libyan version of Gen. al-Sisi, the Egyptian strongman. Israel generally likes Arab dictators and strongmen. Especially if the choice is them or populist democratic governments. Arab democracy scares the bejesus out of Israel’s political class.
The relationships cultivated among Haftar, the UAE, Egypt and Israel are also part of the wider Sunni-Israel axis led by Saudi Arabia. Israel is a dutiful senior partner doing its share to help its authoritarian, kleptocratic partners.
I’m not sure why Tanker Trackers refused to divulge the identity of the tanker transporting this oil. Who does it protect? The site’s mission is to make the world commerce in oil more transparent. I don’t see how this does that.
I remember a number of years ago, it was revealed that Libya was buying chicken vaccine from Israel, despite the so-called boycott of Israel.
There are a number of ways if looking at this. One is that the pragmatism of trade beats ethics. Another is that trade is a starting point to the building of bridges and the breaking down of barriers.
In the real world, we all buy from undemocratic countries, whether it be from China, Libya or in the past from one party states in Africa.
As far as Israel buying from ISIS is concerned, I would ask how strong is the evidence?
@,Thomas Holloway: cardinal rule here: before publishing a comment read all the links in the post. Had you done so you wouldn’t have needed to ask about the evidence regarding ISIS oil sales, which is rock- solid.
Nor does trade in the Middje East lead to political understandings. At least not as far as Israel is concerned.
You say that the evidence regarding ISIS oil sales is ‘rock solid’, and I satirically cast doubt on the value of that evidence.
The inferior quality of the single, Arab newspaper source that you relied on should be obvious to all.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-paper-claims-israel-biggest-buyer-of-islamic-state-oil/
The cardinal rule here is, ‘disagree with Richard at your own peril’.
@ Elena: Read every single link in the post before posting you twit! There is a Globes article as well. Read Haaretz’s coverage. Plus everyone following Middle East oil sales knows about this. Go talk to the people who run Tanker Tracker. They know about it as well. So stop whining about the Kuwaiti paper, do your homework and read everything I did before I wrote this post. Then write a comment. And stop wasting my time.
‘…Israel is not above betraying its principles to get hold of this much-needed black gold…’
What Israeli principle would she be betraying by buying oil from ISIS?
It seems to me that ISIS has been all good news for Israel.
[Comment deleted: you’ve been warned about posting off-topic, which you just did again. You are now moderated. Comments which respect the rules will be approved. Those which don’t, won’t.]
The fact those countries do practical business behind the scenes while excoriating each other in public tells you something doesn’t it. Interesting how only Palestinians die in these conflicts lately.
Why have scorn for Israeli opportunism?
Every country has opportunistic foreign policy elements
I also wonder if you have any problem at all with Palestinian opportunism–such as Hamas accepting the support of Iran (who is happy to sacrifice Palestinian blood for its rivalry with Israel) and various other Sunni Jihadi groups, or their working with Turkey, who just use them as a political tools to increase Erdogan’s domestic popularity.
Tactical relationships are part of international diplomacy, that’s realpolitik
So its difficult to understand why you find this so surprising.
Besides, gentle commerce helps promote peace between the sides.
@DrS: I have scorn not just for Israeli opportunism. I have scorn for Israel fueling civil wars in Africa, Asia and elsewhere. I have scorn for the tens of thousands of dead Israel causes both in its own region and around the world. I have scorn for the massively corrupt system of weapons sales and political manipulation engaged in by Israel military-intelligence consultants.
The opportunism of other states pales in comparison. Especially given Israel’s size relative to theirs.
Indeed gentle commerce is just what Israel has in mind when it buys ISIS oil, sells technology to African dictators enabling them to fix crooked elections, provides surveillance technology to Gulf states enabling them to oppress their minority populations.
You’d be funny if you weren’t so pathetic.
[comment deleted: I’m not interested in book reviews from you. I’m not interested in reviews of Wikipedia articles. All this is off topic and a comment violation.
I also not interested in your psychological theories about what or why I do things and what I’m thinking. Stick to the post or get lost.]