Knesset Approves Natural Gas Outline

The Knesset plenum approved the natural gas outline presented to the lawmakers by the government on Monday.

There was considerable concern prior to the vote as to whether parliamentarians would balk at some of the elements of the deal, but as it turned out, it passed with a healthy majority.

“We have improved the outline. It passed the Cabinet and passed the Knesset by an overwhelming majority,” said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in a statement following the Knesset session. “There is one more obstacle but when I want to achieve something, I achieve it.

“There will be gas for Israel. I want it for the citizens of Israel, to lower the cost of living, to channel vast sums to the state coffers for energy security. This will be achieved. We are moving forward step by step and overcoming one obstacle after another.

“They told us at the outset: We have not seen the outline so we opened the outline. They told us to improve it; we improved it. They told us to submit it to the Cabinet; we did so and it was approved. They told us to submit it to the Knesset and we approved it by majority vote. Now we have one obstacle left and we will overcome it because it is the right thing for the citizens of Israel.”