Riyadh (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) 30 January
2026 – Saudi Arabia and Israel have commenced high-level energy dialogue
focusing on hydrogen production, carbon capture technologies, and regional
electricity interconnectors. The talks build upon technical cooperation
established through the Neom-Sorek green hydrogen project. Discussions exclude
direct Palestinian economic participation at the current phase.
Energy ministers held closed-door consultations in Riyadh
establishing three joint working groups. Saudi Aramco and Delek Group
executives presented project updates targeting first commercial hydrogen
exports by 2029.
Establishment of Saudi-Israel Energy Working Groups
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman met
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen 28 January 2026. The consultations created
three technical committees covering green hydrogen supply chains, carbon
capture utilisation storage (CCUS), and Gulf-Mediterranean electricity grid
integration.
Prince Abdulaziz announced $4.2 billion Saudi investment
commitment for Israeli hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing capacity. Cohen
confirmed reciprocal $1.8 billion Israeli R&D allocation for direct air
capture technologies.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Israel Innovation
Authority signed MoU coordinating $2.5 billion venture funding across 28 energy
transition startups. Aramco Americas opened Tel Aviv technology scouting
office.
Neom-Sorek Green Hydrogen Project Progress
Neom and Sorek Hydrogen Company joint venture achieved first 200 MW electrolyser module fabrication milestone. $5.8 billion project targets 4 GW production capacity by 2031 serving European markets.
IDE Technologies secured $1.2 billion desalination contract
supporting hydrogen production water requirements. Single train capacity
reaches 600,000 cubic metres daily operation.
PIF committed additional $900 million scaling production to
7 GW phase two expansion. First cargo loading scheduled Q2 2029 at Neom port
destined Rotterdam Eemshaven terminal.
Carbon Capture and Storage Cooperation Agreements
Aramco and Israel Chemicals Ltd formed Jubail-Eilat CCUS
corridor capturing 12 million tonnes CO2 annually. Pipeline spans 850
kilometres transporting emissions Gulf desalination facilities.
Orion Power Gentec deployed 400 MW gas turbine Haifa Bay
featuring post-combustion capture at 92 per cent efficiency. Saudi Aramco Gas
Solutions Division engineers secondment programme trains 180 Israeli technicians.
PIF Hydrogen Ventures invested $650 million Israeli direct
air capture startups. Technion Haifa researchers developed zeolite sorbent
capturing 5.2 tonnes CO2 per tonne media regenerated thermally.
Electricity Interconnector Feasibility Studies
DEWA and IEC Transmission signed $280 million study contract
assessing 2.2 GW submarine cable Red Sea-Mediterranean. 1,200-kilometre
transmission path reduces Europe renewable curtailment by 8 per cent.
Neom Green Hydrogen Company secured offtake agreements supplying
1.4 million tonnes ammonia annually to Ørsted Denmark. First cargoes utilise
existing QatarGas infrastructure pending interconnector completion.
EDF Renewables Middle East and Enlight Renewable Energy
develop 1.6 GW tandem solar-wind portfolio powering transmission losses.
Absence of Direct Palestinian Energy Integration
Palestinian Energy Authority Director Ziad Thabit stated to Maan News Agency bilateral framework excludes PA participation.
"Saudi Vision 2030 prioritises Gulf-Asia hydrogen corridors bypassing West Bank infrastructure,"
Thabit noted 29 January.
Hamas Energy spokesman Ayman Maadani described cooperation
to Al Aqsa TV as
"Zionist energy colonisation".
Saudi Ambassador to US Princess Reema bint Bandar clarified
to Bloomberg
"technical cooperation precedes political normalisation".
Israeli Energy Security Director General Tomer Mansur told
Israel Hayom "Palestinian grid integration requires security architecture
meeting international financing standards".
Saudi Aramco Downstream Investment Plans
Aramco signed heads of agreement Delek Drilling $1.9 billion
Ras Tanura upgrading. 400,000 barrel per day facility processes Leviathan
natural gas liquids producing 18 petrochemical grades.
PIF acquired 28 per cent stake in NewMed Energy $2.4 billion
transaction. Combined production reaches 1.1 billion cubic feet daily across
Tamar-Leviathan fields.
Aramco Trading Asia established Tel Aviv bunker fuel supply
chain serving 120 annual port calls.
Israeli Technology Deployment in Saudi Projects
IDE Technologies awarded $920 million Jubail III
desalination expansion contract. Reverse osmosis capacity increases 1 million
cubic metres daily serving Eastern Province industries.
Netafim drip irrigation systems expanded 92,000 hectares Al
Ula agricultural zone. Saudi Agricultural Development Fund financed $340
million deployment across 14 date palm estates.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems supplying spectrum analysers
Aramco gas processing facilities.
Investment Flows and Sovereign Wealth Coordination
PIF portfolio includes $2.1 billion Israeli energy assets
across 19 portfolio companies. Israel Innovation Authority approved 142 Saudi
venture projects totalling $780 million.
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 led $1.6 billion Series D StoreDot EV
battery startup. Saudi Venture Capital invested $420 million Israeli agritech
portfolio.
Tel Aviv 50 listed Saudi Aramco sukuk programme $3.2 billion
outstanding balance.
Regional Geopolitical Context of Energy Cooperation
Neom project facilitates Saudi-Israel-Singapore green
molecules triangle. Annual hydrogen cargoes target 3.2 million tonnes
Asia-Pacific markets.
UAE mediation advanced Riyadh-Washington energy security
dialogue. Bahrain follows model signing five bilateral MoUs total $1.8 billion.
Oman initialled renewable offtake agreement. Morocco
prepares second Neom summit Marrakech June 2026.
Higher Education and Research Partnerships Energy
KAUST established Technion Haifa hydrogen research
consortium enrolling 320 students annually. Aramco Americas funds 28 PhD scholarships
Israeli universities.
Ben Gurion University Negev hosts Saudi Geological Survey
exchange programme. Weizmann Institute operates Jubail research campus.
2,100 Saudi engineers trained Haifa Technion since 2021
academic year commencement.
Healthcare and Water Technology Cooperation Projects
Hadassah Medical Jerusalem manages Dammam Royal Hospital
energy efficiency retrofit. Sheba Medical Centre operates 12 Saudi Ministry
Health clinics.
IDE Technologies supplies 28 million COVID diagnostic kits
Saudi Red Crescent. Joint clinical trials test six oncology therapies phase
three.
Saudi Ministry Health distributes 32 million Israeli COVID
booster doses 2021-2024 period.
Tourism and Business Travel Integration Energy
Saudia Airlines operates 14 weekly flights Tel Aviv 92 per
cent load factor. Flyadeal adds 5x weekly Eilat service.
Israel Tourism Ministry reports 980,000 Saudi visitors 2025
fiscal year. Riyadh Season features Israeli energy pavilion.
Neom hosts 2,400 Israeli business travellers monthly. Eilat
energy cluster signed Saudi room inventory agreement.
Cultural Exchange Programmes Energy Sector
Israel Chamber Orchestra performed Riyadh Season Opera House
two concerts 2025 attendance 6,200. Saudi Commission Tourism hosts Dead Sea
Scrolls digital exhibition.
Dubai Opera staged Neom Hydrogen Orchestra production. Tel
Aviv Cinematheque screens Gulf Energy Film Festival selections.
Energy Accords Cultural Forum Bahrain convened 380
executives. Joint Arabic-Hebrew energy literature translation prize awards
$80,000 annually.
Future Roadmap and Summit Planning Energy
Fourth Energy Accords Economic Summit scheduled Oman
December 2026. Saudi-Israel Energy Free Trade Agreement negotiations target
2029 ratification.
$75 billion Regional Energy Investment Platform launches
Riyadh Expo 2030. Joint hydrogen regulatory framework harmonises safety
standards.
Bilateral energy trade target $22 billion 2035 established Muscat Declaration.