Israel, Egypt Reach $34 Billion Natural Gas Deal; Slain Rabbi Buried in Sydney

JERUSALEM, Israel – Egypt and Israel agreed to a huge natural gas deal on Wednesday that will hopefully calm strained relations after two years of war. In Australia, meanwhile, the first victim of Sunday's anti-Semitic Hanukkah terror attack was laid to rest.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the largest gas deal in Israel's history, paving the way for what is hoped to be better relations with Egypt and a trilateral meeting with the U.S.

"This deal with the American company Chevron has Israeli partners, and they will supply gas to Egypt," Netanyahu stated. "I approved the deal after ensuring our security and vital interests."

He said the agreement is worth about $34.7 billion, roughly half of which will go into the state treasury.

Netanyahu told Israelis, “This deal greatly strengthens Israel’s position as a regional energy power, and it contributes to stability in our region. But above all, this deal obliges the companies to sell gas at a good price to you, the citizens of Israel.”

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters to ensure you receive the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

In Sydney, hundreds of mourners gathered for the first funeral of the victims of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre. Eli Schlanger, a husband and father of five was laid to rest. He was the assistant Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi of Bondi and had organized Sunday's Hanukkah by the Sea event.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told CBN's Raj Nair that the attack was a "desecration of our nation."

"The Jewish community here in Australia has felt incredibly abandoned and isolated because of the policies of the government and their failure to take action on what has been rising antisemitism in this country," Morrison said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims his country is developing legislative reforms to "crack down on those who spread hate, division, and radicalization," including preachers and leaders who promote violence.

"The Australian government adopts and fully supports the plan to combat antisemitism. We've already legislated for hate speech, hate crimes, hate symbols, and outlawing doxxing," Albanese announced. "We've already undertaken education action, including appointing the first-ever Student Ombudsman."

In an interview with CBN News, Israeli Government Spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian explained that Israel is at a pivotal point, trying to convince the world how important it is in the fight against antisemitism to condemn hostile language and how frustrating it is that many people won't listen.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu has been calling out leaders who have decided to recognize a Palestinian state. When you do that, Hamas thanks you if you are in a situation as a country, and Hamas, a terror organization, is thanking you for recognizing a Palestinian state, don't you think you're doing something wrong? she asked, and added, "You are giving a prize to terrorism."

She observed that the writing has been on the wall for months, with many street protests.

"These streets have been a walking red flag for two years," she asserted. "You know, I remember seeing Hamas and Hezbollah flags, just on the streets of New York City. What does that do to a Jew? You're shaking your boots a little bit. Where am I living? Where am I? What has this world gone to? What society are we living in? This has happened to Jews across the world."

Bedrosian commended Trump for taking a stand and said other leaders should follow suit.

This holiday season, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism is preparing for the arrival of about 130,000 tourists in the month of December, including 40,000 Christian pilgrims coming to celebrate Christmas at holy sites in Israel.

The ministry has invested in improving infrastructure and decorating the city of Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, including lights and fireworks. Known as Israel's largest Arab city, about 80,000 people live there. Thirty-one percent are Christians, and the rest are Muslim. It's a popular pilgrimage site for both foreign tourists and Israelis.