Awarding gas exploration rights in Gaza’s coast evidence of “subjugation”

The sign off on gas exploration rights off of Gaza’s coast to foreign corporations at a time when Israel is carrying out genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza is further evidence of Israel’s goal of total political and economic subjugation of the Palestinian people, according to Susan Power, head of legal research and advocacy at Al-Haq, an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organization based in Ramallah, West Bank.

Power told Anadolu that Israel awarded gas exploration licenses in Zone G, 62% of which fall under Palestine’s declared maritime boundaries, which are internationally recognized under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

‘Israel has also awarded licenses in Zones H and E, which also fall within Palestine’s declared maritime boundaries; 5% of Zone H and 73% of Zone E are in Palestine’s boundaries,’ she said.

She stated that Palestine has declared its maritime boundaries in accordance with UNCLOS principles, a convention to which Palestine is a party.

Consequently, she argued that Israel does not have the right to sign away gas exploration rights within Palestine’s declared maritime zone under any circumstances.

She explained that Israel is not a party to UNCLOS, and as Israel maintains that it does not recognize Palestine as a state, it therefore does not recognize Palestine’s declared maritime zones.

‘However, as an occupying power, Israel does not have the right to extract Palestinian finite and non-renewable resources for commercial gain, as it is doing by signing away gas exploration rights within Palestine’s maritime zone,’ she said.

‘Israel’s actions to control Palestine’s maritime boundaries and sign away gas exploration rights within Palestine’s declared maritime zone amount to de facto and de jure annexation of Palestinian territory in favor of applying Israeli domestic law and control to the area in violation of international humanitarian law,’ she said.

Power noted that under Article 55 of the Hague Regulations and the rules of usufruct, Israel is prohibited from extracting or profiting off of Palestinian natural resources for commercial gain or the benefit of the occupying power.

‘Israel has no right to grant these corporations licenses to extract and exploit Palestinian resources. Therefore, the corporations that were granted gas exploration rights by Israel are also in violation of international humanitarian law and norms by depleting the natural resources of an occupied territory,’ she explained.

– What happens in Gaza?

Israel, having killed tens of thousands of civilians in attacks and occupation of the Gaza Strip, announced the results of the tender it organized for exploration in Palestinian waters in December 2022 on Oct. 29 last year, just days after it intensified its attacks in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Within the scope of the tender, the Israeli administration granted licenses to six Israeli and international companies to explore natural gas in areas that are deemed to fall under Palestinian maritime borders.

On Feb. 5, Adalah, the Legal Center for the Protection of Arab Minority Rights in Israel, sent a letter to the Israeli Energy Ministry demanding the cancellation of gas exploration licenses issued in these areas.

Following Adalah’s request, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and Al-Haq, along with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), similarly issued warnings to companies holding licenses not to carry out any activities in these areas.

• UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).