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An Israeli government delegation is expected in Cyprus as part of ongoing efforts to finalize a bilateral agreement governing a shared offshore natural gas reservoir that spans the maritime zones of Israel and Cyprus. The talks center on the Aphrodite-Ishai field, a transboundary deposit located where the two countries’ exclusive economic zones meet.
According to Israeli officials, representatives from the Ministries of Energy, Finance, and Justice will take part in the visit, continuing technical and legal discussions aimed at defining how the cross-border resource will be jointly developed and managed. The field lies between Cyprus’s Aphrodite gas discovery and Israel’s Ishai prospect, making coordination between the two states necessary for commercial production.
Israel’s Energy Minister, Eli Cohen, has underscored the strategic importance of natural gas to Israel’s economy, describing further field development as central to expanding output, increasing exports, and strengthening national revenues.
The prospective Aphrodite–Ishai arrangement is widely seen as a cornerstone for deeper energy cooperation between the two neighboring countries. Beyond the immediate project, the agreement fits into a wider regional strategy for the Eastern Mediterranean, where multiple states are seeking to coordinate gas production and transportation.
Previous statements from both governments indicate that the deal could facilitate exports via regional partners, including infrastructure routes through Egypt, alongside other planned energy initiatives in the area. Israeli officials have repeatedly emphasized that the agreement is intended not as a one-off project, but as part of a long-term framework for enhancing regional energy collaboration.
