Cabinet Approves Transfer to Itself of the Economy Minister's Authority
Under Article 52 of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

The Cabinet, at its weekly meeting today (Sunday, 28 June 2015), approved
transferring to itself the Economy Minister's authority under Article 52 of
the 1988 Restrictive Trade Practices Act, regarding actions necessary to
increase the quantity of natural gas produced at the Tamar field and to
quickly develop the Leviathan, Krish, Tanin and other natural gas fields.

Following is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at
the start of the Cabinet meeting:

"Last week, the Cabinet unanimously approved the expedited development and
expansion of the natural gas fields that have been discovered off Israel's
coast. I am determined to advance a realistic solution that will bring gas
to the Israeli economy. I will not capitulate to populist proposals that
will leave the gas deep underground. We have already seen enough countries
that succumbed to these pressures and the gas has remained in the ground.
This cannot be allowed to happen here. The outline that has been formulated
breaks up the monopoly. In the coming decades it will put hundreds of
billions of shekels into education, culture, health and many other things
for the benefit of all Israeli citizens. After years of discussions, the
time has come to decide so that the gas will emerge from the ground and
reach the Israeli economy and the citizens of Israel."

The foregoing decision is to transfer the aforementioned authority from the
economy minister to the full Cabinet and does not constitute approval of
this or that outline. In the coming days the outline will be submitted for
public comment. It will subsequently be discussed by the Cabinet.