Report: “200 Israeli Companies have Ties With Iranian Energy Sector

Saturday May 28, 2011 12:31 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

A report published by Israeli Haaretz indicated that there are 200 Israeli companies that have indirect investment with the Iranian Energy Sector that feeds the Iranian Nuclear Program, and that the Israeli government knows about the investments.

File - Iranian Power Plant - egynews.net

Haaretz’ reporter, Yossi Melman, issued a special investigative report indicating that the Israeli trade ties include investments in the Iranian Nuclear Energy sector, the main income source for Iran, and funnels funds used by Tehran allegedly to develop its weaponry and to maintain its nuclear program.

In 2008, the Israeli Knesset decided to prohibit Israeli companies from having investments in any international company that has ties with Iran.

However, according to the report, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his government have done nothing against the issue, even with the Israeli Electric Cooperation and that Airport Authority in Israel, purchased equipment worth millions of US Dollars from German and Danish companies that have trade ties with Tehran.

In addition, the report indicated that the office of Netanyahu said it has no jurisdiction on the issue, as it is under the authority of Israel’s Finance Ministry.

Last week, Washington named the Israeli Ofer Brothers Group as having trade ties with Tehran. The issue could lead to sanctions against the company for providing an Iranian shipping company a tanker worth $8.65 Million.

The company denied that allegations while its spokesperson told Israeli reporters that that tanker might have been sold to Iran through a third company operating in Dubai. The Tanker Pacific, is also company reportedly involved in the issue.

The State Department in Washington said that it believes Ofer Brothers and Tanker Pacific failed to collect easily obtained information that indicate they are dealing with Iranian shipping lines.

Several days ago, United States Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, decided to penalize seven companies, including the Ofer Brothers group; the decision cites the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Clinton said that these companies have ties with the Iranian energy sector, and that one of them is actually based in Israel.

According to the report of the Department of State, the Ofer Brothers Group, a family-owned company, and the world 10th largest shipping company and Israel’s largest holding company, was sanctioned for ties with Iranian shipping lines.

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