UK energy firm accused of complicity in Israel's war on Gaza: Report

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UK's oil and gas operator Ithaca Energy is accused of complicity in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza due to links of its majority owner Delek Group with the Israeli military, according to a new investigation published on Sunday by The Ferret, an independent non-profit media cooperative in Scotland.

The energy firm, which holds stakes in six of the UK’s 10 largest oil and gas fields, is already controversial for its stake in the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, criticized by climate activists and recently ruled unlawful by a Scottish court.

Critics argue that Rosebank’s environmental and moral costs outweigh its benefits, as revenues from the project could flow to Ithaca’s controversial majority owner, Delek Group, one of Israel’s largest companies.

Through its subsidiary NewMed Energy, Delek holds the largest stake in Leviathan, a major gas field off the Israeli coast that has reportedly generated nearly £1 billion ($1.35 billion) in royalties and taxes for the Israeli government since production began in 2019.

According to campaigners, revenues from Leviathan contribute to funding the Israeli government’s military operations in Gaza.

The Ferret also highlighted Delek’s direct ties to the Israeli military, including its stake in a petrol station chain supplying fuel to Israeli military vehicles, as well as through its largest shareholder, Yitzhak Tshuva, who completed compulsory military service and worked for Israel’s Defense Ministry.

In its corporate filings, Delek describes its UK operations through Ithaca as a key “growth engine” for the company, with Tshuva closely involved as a member of Ithaca’s board of directors.