Egypt-'Israel' Gas Deal Violates International Law: UN Rapporteur

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

21 Dec 2025 15:32

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese warns Egypt's gas deal with "Israel" breaches international law.

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has denounced a $35 billion natural gas deal between Egypt and the Israeli occupation, describing it as a violation of international law. The agreement, approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December 2025, comes as "Israel" continues its genocidal campaign on Gaza, where over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 170,000 wounded since October 2023.

Albanese, in a statement posted on X, stressed that the deal sends a clear message of support to a regime under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). "States must stop placing profits above humanity," she urged, highlighting the moral and legal implications of such economic cooperation.

The gas agreement, one of the largest in the entity's history, will transfer approximately 130 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Egypt through 2040, with an estimated $18 billion flowing into "Israel's" public coffers.

Albanese cited the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) 2024 advisory opinion, which ruled "Israel's" occupation of Palestinian territories as unlawful and called on third parties to cease economic engagement that reinforces that occupation.

The Court emphasized that third parties have a legal duty to avoid supporting activities that undermine Palestinian sovereignty, particularly over natural resources like gas fields off the coast of Gaza, which "Israel" has systematically denied Palestinians access to.

Economic normalization

Cairo claims the deal is purely commercial, not political. The Egyptian state is grappling with a severe energy crisis, driven by technical failures at the Zohr gas field, massive production declines, and surging domestic demand. From 2021 to 2024, Egypt's natural gas output fell by over 30%, forcing the country to pivot from exporter to importer.

Today, Egyptian electricity generation depends on gas for over 80% of its output. Blackouts, factory shutdowns, and public frustration have become routine, pushing the Sisi government to seek energy security.

This dependency has handed "Israel" a strategic lever. Cairo's vulnerability was exploited in the deal's negotiation, with reports suggesting that "Israel" delayed approval to pressure Egypt on military deployments in Sinai and border control over Gaza.

Despite official narratives portraying the gas deal as apolitical, the Egyptian public remains firmly opposed to normalization with the occupation entity. For decades, Egyptians have viewed Palestine not only as a neighboring cause but as a symbol of Arab dignity and anti-colonial resistance.

A 2023 Arab Barometer survey found that a staggering 97% of Egyptians believe their country should sever all ties with "Israel." This is consistent with years of polling showing overwhelming solidarity with Palestinians and deep mistrust of the Zionist regime.

Public anger erupted across Egypt in the early weeks of the war on Gaza in October 2023. Demonstrators in Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities filled the streets with chants against the occupation and demands for Egypt to cancel all agreements with it. Calls to shut down the embassy in Cairo and halt gas cooperation echoed loudly, even as the state tightly restricted protest activity.