On the Now We Rise march for Climate Justice last Saturday there was a massive bloc of people with Palestinian flags. “Are these two things really related?” a friend asked me. Most definitely, I replied!
A recent packed meeting at Sheffield’s Central URC Church examined the many connections between the conflict in Palestine and the Climate Crisis. One of the three main speakers, Steph Howlett, concentrated on the Fossil Fuel industry, which COP28 has at last agreed we need to transition away from. (Only 28 years too late).
The UK has approved Rosebank, the largest untapped oil and gas field in UK waters. Rishi Sunak is reversing green energy policies and has issued 27 new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.
This is the same Rishi Sunak who has pledged unwavering support for Israel as they slaughter thousands of innocent civilians, and has voted against a ceasefire. Even at the most recent vote at the UN, when 80% of the world’s states voted for a humanitarian ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages and humanitarian access the UK could only abstain.
Steph explained how all this is linked to Palestine.
“A 20% share in the Rosebank oil and a 100% share in the controversial Cambo field is owned by Ithaca Energy. Ithaca Energy presents itself as a UK company and boasts that it is one of the largest independent oil and gas companies in the UK Continental Shelf group, with stakes in six of the ten largest fields in the North Sea. Ithaca Energy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Delek Group, Israel’s leading integrated energy company, which is on the UN list of companies whose activities in the West Bank raised particular human rights concerns for helping to further illegal Israeli settlement activity.”
She went on to explain “The Palestinian people have long been denied their legitimate right to and profit by the oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean. Gaza Marine are two gas fields, 20 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza which the Palestine National Authority should have the right to administer under the ‘Oslo Accord’. In 2002 they approved British Gas proposals to construct a pipeline to a processing facility in Gaza. But the Israeli state blocked this arguing that the pipeline should run to an Israeli-controlled port and that Palestinians would have to supply Gaza Marine surplus fuel to Israel at far below the market price.”
When Hamas won the 2007 elections Israel established a naval blockade prohibiting further offshore development. In Dec 2008, in total contravention of international laws, Israel declared sovereignty over the Gaza Marine area and British Gas pulled out.
The Levant Basin Province in the eastern Mediterranean is one of the most important natural gas resources in the world. Even though this reserve lies underwater bordering occupied Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt, Israel has claimed sole access and profits from this. They have recently awarded 12 licences for exploring additional oil and gas fields to six companies, including BP and Scotland’s Dana Petroleum Ltd. By their genocidal attack on Gaza, Israel is ensuring there is no infrastructure for future Palestinian claims to these resources.
Here’s an interesting coincidence – Rishi Sunak’s father-in-law’s company Infosys, signed a $1.5 billion deal with BP 2 months before Sunak announced the opening of hundreds of new licences in the North Sea. So Sunak’s wife and her family stand to receive huge financial gain from the exploitation of Palestinian gas. Sunak has insisted that this is of “no legitimate public interest”. Infosys also supplies technology to Israel that helps the country in active surveillance of Palestinians.
Is it any surprise then that Sunak is supporting Israel so strongly, and that he wants to pass a law to combat the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement which encourages people not to buy Israeli goods? The more you look, the murkier it gets.
The pro-Israeli lobby in the UK is extremely strong. Both main parties are influenced by pro-Israeli groups. Conservative Friends of Israel has claimed that 80% of Conservative MPs are members, and there is evidence that they have funded over a third of the current cabinet. Declassified UK have discovered that two-fifths of Kier Starmer’s shadow cabinet is funded by Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) and pro-Israeli donor Sir Trevor Chinn. These include Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, and shadow International Development minister Lisa Nandy. 75 MPs and 30 members of the House of Lords are members of LFI.
Steph finds herself a bit conflicted. “As a climate activist, I am clear that we need to oppose all new oil and gas exploration developments, and yet I find myself outraged that Israel is stealing Palestinian resources.”
Steph concluded by asking “What can we do about it?” She informed us Climate justice activists from London Fossil Free have had actions outside the Ithaca offices over their links with Israeli settlements, and have also blocked the London BP offices over this issue. Ithaca also has offices in Leeds.
Next week we will see how Israel is greenwashing to hide some of their crimes.
Tell the Truth Sheffield 