Abstract:
This thesis explores the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the geopolitics
of the eastern Mediterranean. After the outbreak of war, Europe sought to dispense
with Russian gas and secure gas supplies from diverse sources, turning its attention to
the Eastern Mediterranean region, which contains massive gas reserves. Accordingly,
Israeli ambitions have increased to become a major regional player in the energy sector
and a major gas supplier to the eastern Mediterranean and European markets, where
Israel has expanded its efforts to develop the natural gas sector, including attracting
foreign investments, increasing production from main gas fields, and expanding the
gas infrastructure. The thesis relied on the Regional Security Complexes Theory, as
the theory provides an appropriate analytical framework for understanding the security
dynamics in the eastern Mediterranean, and the theory also helps in understanding the
relationship between Israel's role as an emerging player in the energy sector and
geopolitical tensions in the region.
The thesis reveals that Israel’s efforts to become a major regional energy player
and develop gas relations with its neighbors are driven not only by economic benefits
and regional cooperation but are primarily linked to Israel’s security and geopolitical
interests. Israel aims to achieve three key objectives: first, linking Israeli energy
security to regional energy security, thereby increasing the dependence of regional
countries, particularly Egypt, on Israeli gas; second, utilizing gas as a geopolitical tool
to manage longstanding disputes with the Palestinians and Arabs, and third, enhancing
Israel’s influence in the eastern Mediterranean and Europe to bolster its ability to
confront its opponents. The study confirms that Israel’s achievement of these three
goals is likely to cause increased geopolitical tensions and instability in the region.
