Sep 9, 2025 04:20 AM
(This post was last modified: Sep 9, 2025 04:38 AM by C C.)
Video at bottom. Some diagrams of the proposed canal show it gouging through the Gaza Strip. So that's one major political controversy. Another one is that it would cut into the sizable revenue that Egypt garners from the Suez Canal. Then there's the China issue.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-ben-...-upheaval/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/05/12/t...l-project/
https://www.english.globalarabnetwork.co...t-project/
EXCERPTS: The Ben-Gurion Canal project is an ambitious proposal by Israel to construct a massive canal connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. This 160-mile (257 km) canal would traverse the Negev Desert and the southern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, bypassing the Suez Canal and challenging Egypt's long-standing monopoly on the crucial shipping route between Europe and Asia.
The proposed canal would originate from the Israeli port city of Eilat on the Red Sea, cross the Jordanian border, flow through the Arabah Valley, enter the Dead Sea, and then head northward around the Gaza Strip before reaching the Mediterranean. The estimated cost of this colossal undertaking is a staggering USD 100 billion, with significant security concerns arising from the constant military threat in the region.
Speculations abound that Israel's desire to control Gaza and eliminate the influential Hamas organization is inextricably linked to unlocking the immense economic opportunities presented by the Ben-Gurion Canal. The potential economic gains from this project are projected to far outweigh the astronomical construction costs, with the canal expected to become highly profitable within a short period. By sharing the financial burden with co-developers, the canal's construction would become more affordable and manageable.
[...] This bold infrastructure endeavour held the promise of reshaping global trade patterns and reducing reliance on existing maritime routes. Today, it holds the added promise of expanding on the Abraham Accords, by seamlessly connecting to Saudi Arabia via NEOM, the futuristic new city poised on the shores of the Red Sea.
[...] The Ben Gurion Canal would have a world-scale impact: the redundancy of waterways would put an end to the congestion of the Suez Canal. Additionally, the fragility of the connection between the two seas, as exemplified by the Ever Given incident, would be reduced. The Ever Given disaster occurred in the Suez Canal in March 2021 when the large container ship, Ever Given, became lodged sideways across the canal, blocking traffic in both directions. The incident led to a significant disruption in global trade.
[...] The project is driven by the need to restrain the rise of China’s economic power and to hold back its ongoing project known as “The Belt and Road Initiative.” The Chinese project aims to build a train line that starts from the provinces of China in the West towards West Asia and secure water routes worldwide. It is a multi-billion-dollar investment project. Therefore, the U.S. is trying to hamper the Chinese trade route by creating an alternative competitive route.
So, the new stage of struggle will witness an economic war aiming to control seaports and global trade routes. Moreover, In light of the current Arab pivot to Israel, most Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia, would also benefit highly from the Ben Gurion Canal as it undoubtedly places Neom, Riyadh’s new ultra-modern business and technological city, at the center of international trade.
Israel’s $55B Canal to END the Suez Canal ... https://youtu.be/OevF23RTCwU
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/OevF23RTCwU
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-ben-...-upheaval/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/05/12/t...l-project/
https://www.english.globalarabnetwork.co...t-project/
EXCERPTS: The Ben-Gurion Canal project is an ambitious proposal by Israel to construct a massive canal connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. This 160-mile (257 km) canal would traverse the Negev Desert and the southern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, bypassing the Suez Canal and challenging Egypt's long-standing monopoly on the crucial shipping route between Europe and Asia.
The proposed canal would originate from the Israeli port city of Eilat on the Red Sea, cross the Jordanian border, flow through the Arabah Valley, enter the Dead Sea, and then head northward around the Gaza Strip before reaching the Mediterranean. The estimated cost of this colossal undertaking is a staggering USD 100 billion, with significant security concerns arising from the constant military threat in the region.
Speculations abound that Israel's desire to control Gaza and eliminate the influential Hamas organization is inextricably linked to unlocking the immense economic opportunities presented by the Ben-Gurion Canal. The potential economic gains from this project are projected to far outweigh the astronomical construction costs, with the canal expected to become highly profitable within a short period. By sharing the financial burden with co-developers, the canal's construction would become more affordable and manageable.
[...] This bold infrastructure endeavour held the promise of reshaping global trade patterns and reducing reliance on existing maritime routes. Today, it holds the added promise of expanding on the Abraham Accords, by seamlessly connecting to Saudi Arabia via NEOM, the futuristic new city poised on the shores of the Red Sea.
[...] The Ben Gurion Canal would have a world-scale impact: the redundancy of waterways would put an end to the congestion of the Suez Canal. Additionally, the fragility of the connection between the two seas, as exemplified by the Ever Given incident, would be reduced. The Ever Given disaster occurred in the Suez Canal in March 2021 when the large container ship, Ever Given, became lodged sideways across the canal, blocking traffic in both directions. The incident led to a significant disruption in global trade.
[...] The project is driven by the need to restrain the rise of China’s economic power and to hold back its ongoing project known as “The Belt and Road Initiative.” The Chinese project aims to build a train line that starts from the provinces of China in the West towards West Asia and secure water routes worldwide. It is a multi-billion-dollar investment project. Therefore, the U.S. is trying to hamper the Chinese trade route by creating an alternative competitive route.
So, the new stage of struggle will witness an economic war aiming to control seaports and global trade routes. Moreover, In light of the current Arab pivot to Israel, most Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia, would also benefit highly from the Ben Gurion Canal as it undoubtedly places Neom, Riyadh’s new ultra-modern business and technological city, at the center of international trade.
Israel’s $55B Canal to END the Suez Canal ... https://youtu.be/OevF23RTCwU