JERUSALEM (JTA) — Egypt resumed supplying some gas to Israel following an attack on the gas line, but only a small portion of the gas due is being supplied.
Terrorists on July 4 blew up a section of the pipeline that carries gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan, the third time that the pipeline has been sabotaged in the past six months.
Egypt supplies Israel with more than 40 percent of its natural gas needs to produce electricity.
The state-owned Israel Electric Corp. told Reuters that the gas flowing again from Egypt was equivalent to between 30 percent and 40 percent of the agreed-upon amount.
The supply of gas from Egypt was shut off for a month and never returned to full levels after terrorists in the Sinai blew up a section of the pipeline in February during the uprisings against deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
In March, explosives failed to detonate in a second attempt by terrorists to bomb the pipeline. Another attack on April 27 blew up part of the pipeline in El-Arish, again halting the gas supply.
The electric company said it would increase electricity production at its coal-powered plants in order to meet electricity demands, as well as use diesel and fuel oil.
