![Israeli Minister of Intelligence Yisrael Katz on September 12, 2018 [THOMAS COEX/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GettyImages-1031881924-scaled-e1690961089998.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1)
Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Yisrael Katz sent a scathing letter to the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, criticising the latter's failure to promote natural gas exports to Egypt and Europe, Sama news agency reported citing Israeli media reports.
Within the next two weeks, Energy Minister Katz is expected to approve an increase in gas exports to Europe, Egypt and Jordan.
Finance Ministry officials have no authority in this matter, and it is appropriate that they deal with the areas they are responsible for, Katz wrote.
A source at the Ministry of Finance said that without a new policy and without a professional committee to discuss the issue of increasing natural gas exports and its repercussions on the economy, the economy may be damaged.
Sources close to the minister of energy claimed that the orders to increase exports, which are expected to be signed in the coming weeks, are in line with the previously approved export policy as the law stipulates that the policy-making committee must meet every five years.
The Ministry of Energy is working to form a committee to examine the natural gas export policy.
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