Several years ago BG International claimed an historic deal in the Eastern Mediterranean area with the signature of a deal with the Palestine National Authority to explore for gas offshore Gaza. This first license was awarded by the PNA covered acquisition of seismic data and exploration drilling, offshore development, and delivery of gas to Palestine.

However, it seems there was controversy about the awarding of the contract, since the PNA was seen by BG as the recognized administrative authority for the Gaza area, but Tel Aviv maintained that it had a claim on the territory. The Israeli government was understood to be preparing a challenge to the contract award in the international courts.

Does anyone know whether this claim went ahead in the ICJ?

Does Israel recognise the jurisdiction of the ICJ? Or are the offshore maritime areas of the coast consigned to lawlessness?

The Gaza Marine natural gas discovery is purported to contain 1.4 trillion standard cubic feet of natural gas.

Is it true that fishermen from Gaza are prevented from taking their boats out any further than 6 km offshore? If this is true, then seems to indeed suggest that the Gaza Marine gas field is claimed buy Israel to be under its sovereignty.

There is not much on this issue in the oil & gas journals or mainstream media.

Any comments would be welcome to this confused researcher.