Here's a piece of news that the BDS [Boycott Divestment Sanctions] movement will certainly not like.

As we know, Israel has found offshore gas and this week (just in time for IAW !) Israel and Cyprus signed an accord to lay an underwater electricity cable between these two Mediterranean nations, the first stage in a bid to transfer power between the Jewish state and mainland Europe.

The cable, called the "Euro-Asia Interconnect", which hopefully will be completed by 2016, will stretch over the 287 kilometres (178 miles) between Israel and Cyprus at a depth of around 2,000 metres (6,550 feet).

It means that Israel will no longer function as an economic island---and is on its way to becoming a major energy supplier to Europe. Yes, Israel is going to pass gas onto Europe. Ask yourselves how likely it is that European nations are goign to boycott this!

So the very week when the BDS movement on our university campuses in Canada is trying to convince people to boycott Israel, underwater cables are connecting Israel via Cyprus and via Greece to mainland Europe.

Israel and Cyprus have discovered huge offshore natural gas deposits beneath the eastern Mediterranean separating them, and have tentatively discussed cooperation on delivering gas to European and Asian markets.

"Israel will be able to receive backup (electricity) from Cyprus and Europe, and in the future, we will be able to provide them with energy," Minister of Energy and Water Minister Landau told AP.

The chairman of the Cypriot company DEH Quantum Energy, Athanasios Ktoridis, told AP that all three participants would gain from the deal.

"Greece will increase its energy efficiency, and become a significant player in the European energy chess-board. Cyprus will cease being an island and supply a steady flow of energy in and out of the country, and Israel will become a major energy provider to the European continent," he said.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks in Nicosia with leaders of Cyprus on energy cooperation and economic ties.

The deal signed on Sunday is still subject to final approval by Israel, Cyprus and Greece, that is expected to follow the completion of a feasibility study within a year.

Anyway, if you are on campus this week, make sure to tell people about it.