Israel’s prime minister pitches fiber optic cable idea to link Asia and the Middle East to Europe

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Israel’s prime minister is floating the idea of building infrastructure projects such as a fiber optic cable linking countries in Asia and the Arabian Peninsula with Europe through Israel and Cyprus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides Sunday that he’s “quite confident” such an infrastructure “corridor” linking Asia to Europe through Israel and Cyprus is feasible. The Israeli leader’s pitch is itself an extension of proposed energy links with Cyprus and Greece as part of growing collaboration on energy in the wake of discoveries of significant natural gas deposits in the economic zones of both Israel and Cyprus.