For nogen tid siden refererede jeg under den lumpne titel Oliejøder til en rasende spændende artikel i Jerusalem Post om store uudnyttede olie- og gasreserver i Israel, der har potentialet til at ændre spillet i Mellemøsten. Lawrence Solomon skriver i Financial Post om at omverdenen allerede viser Israel lidt venligere tegn.

Although the Israeli shale project is still at an early stage, its massive potential and Vinegar’s reputation have already begun to change attitudes toward Israel. “We have been approached by all the majors,” Vinegar recently told the press, and for good reason. “Israel is very well positioned for oil exporting” to both European and Asian markets. The majors have other reasons, too, for casting their eyes afresh at Israel. Through its natural gas finds in the Mediterranean’s Levant Basin, and with no help from the oil majors, Israel is becoming a major natural gas exporter to Europe. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Levant Basin has vast natural gas supplies, most of it within Israel’s jurisdiction.

Attitudes to Israel in some European capitals – those in line to receive Israeli gas — have already warmed and the shift to Israel may in time become tectonic, in Europe and elsewhere, when oil is at stake – 38 countries have an estimated 4.8-trillion barrels of shale oil, many of which would benefit from the shale oil technology now being pioneered in Israel.

I det hele taget er der olie og gas nok til hundreder af år.