"Syria and its economy are coping with the remnants of its bloody civil war. Israel's policies in Syria have been both counterproductive and short-sighted in recent months. But in the long-term, if Israel wants to keep its northern border quiet and free of Iranian influence, it would be wise to work with the new Syrian government to expand energy sources, which will help power their country and get its population back to work. While fossil fuels have previously driven electricity production in the region, Israel and Syria can work together to bring alternative, green solutions to the forefront.
On Tuesday, Syria's power grid suffered a crash, causing unscheduled blackouts in Homs, Tartous, and Hama for several hours. The entire infrastructure, based in Aleppo, was badly damaged and completely unmaintained throughout 14 years of civil war. However, the most immediate problem facing Syria's existent power grid is the lack of fuel. The minster of energy in the interim government recently reported that Syria would need 23 million cubic meters of gas and 5,000 tons of oil per day to reach 24 hours a day electricity for most citizens. Syria will need a mass import of fossil fuels to reach this goal."
*The opinions expressed in MDC publications are the authors’ alone.