stupid question

[/ dave /]

>> Who sells oil to Israel?  I presume they're using a lot right now.


Ministry of Finance - State of Israel
http://www.mof.gov.il/prospectus1/form_18kc.htm

  Israel's main sources of energy are oil and coal. Israel is almost 
totally dependent on imported fuel for its energy requirements, since 
domestic production of crude petroleum and natural gas is negligible 
and Israel has no domestic production of coal. Most of Israel's foreign 
oil is purchased in the open market. Israel has two arrangements that 
secure its oil supply. Egypt has committed to sell Israel at least 2 
million tons of oil each year (at market prices), through an 
arrangement established as part of the peace treaty between the two 
nations. In addition, the United States has agreed to supply Israel 
with oil pursuant to the Oil Supply Arrangement with the United States, 
in the event of a failure of Israel's oil supply.

Israel has succeeded in significantly reducing its dependence on oil 
for the production of electricity by switching to coal-fired power 
stations located along Israel's coastline, and by expanding a facility 
in Ashkelon. All of the coal used in Israel is imported. Israel 
purchases most of its coal from South Africa, the United States, 
Colombia and Australia, but it also purchases coal from other 
countries, including China. The shift to coal has not had a significant 
environmental impact in Israel, because the majority of coal used in 
Israel is low sulfur coal.

In 1997, the Government and IEC jointly decided to establish a natural 
gas infrastructure in Israel. As the first stage of this initiative, 
IEC is negotiating the purchase of natural gas to be used in IEC's 
power stations. The second stage will include the selection by 
Government tender of a company to establish and operate the natural gas 
infrastructure in Israel.

Israel continues to pursue alternative energy sources, such as solar 
energy. However, to date, the only widespread commercial use of solar 
power is for solar-powered water heaters, which provide less than 1% of 
all Israeli electric power requirements.


(...)

(BTW I also noted on another webpage that the majority of Israel's oil 
passes through ports in Italy.)

-- 

/  dave  /