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China Helping to Build Railroad through Israel Linking Red Sea with Mediterranean

(Deutsche Welle-Germany) Israel and China are forging ahead with a new freight rail link through Israel that could provide an alternative to the Suez Canal. The project would connect the 300-plus kilometers between Eilat on the Red Sea and Ashdod Port on the Mediterranean. The Israeli cabinet recently decided to fast-track the Red-Med project. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "It's the first time we'd be able to assist the countries in Europe and Asia to make sure they always have an open connection." Ilan Maor, a former Israeli consul to Shanghai, says China's involvement in the project "shows the Chinese government [and] Chinese companies believe that Israel holds a significant potential for business cooperation." The EU is China's number-one trading partner, so easy access to the continent is very important. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Egypt's political uncertainty has left the Sinai Peninsula a "lawless zone for jihadists and Bedouin militias," highlighting a rocket-propelled-grenade attack last August on a Chinese-owned container ship in the Suez Canal. Lloyd's insurance market has even recommended that ships take the 6,000-mile route around South Africa instead.
2014-04-11 00:00:00
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