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POPSThe Israeli Invasion and Gaza's Offshore Gas Fields In 2001 Ariel Sharon stated unequivocally that "Israel would never buy gas from Palestine" intimating that Gaza's offshore gas reserves belong to Israel. In May 2007, the Israeli Cabinet approved a proposal by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "to buy gas from the Palestinian Authority." The proposed contract was for $4 billion, with profits of the order of $2 billion of which one billion was to go the Palestinians. Tel Aviv, however, had no intention on sharing the revenues with Palestine. The military occupation of Gaza is intent upon transferring the sovereignty of the gas fields to Israel in violation of international law.