Palestinians hope to import Iraqi oil, become more energy independent
Palestinians are inching closer to the possibility of being able to import Iraqi oil to Jordan and have the Jordan refinery convert it to local products that can pass Israeli inspection.
When Iraqi officials offered to sell Palestinians oil at reduced prices, few believed that this offer would actually become reality. While many obstacles continue to exist, the possibility of making this goal a reality is inching closer.
The new Iraqi government, whose Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi spent time in south Lebanon in the 1980s and was very close to the PLO leadership, had invited earlier this year senior Palestinian officials to Iraq. Nabil Shaath, a senior adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, delivered June 23 a letter from Abbas to his Iraqi counterpart. This was followed by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh’s visit to Baghdad July 15. Shtayyeh was accompanied by a large delegation for serious discussions with their Iraqi counterparts.
