Explosion at a gas terminal in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula

(22 Jul 2012) There was an explosion at a gas terminal in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula on Sunday, setting off a massive fire along a gas pipeline which could be seen from a long way distant. The blaze was visible from rooftops in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, about 44 miles (70 kilometres) away. The Sinai Peninsula, home to Bedouin tribesmen, borders both Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The explosion went off early on Sunday at a gas terminal in the northern Sinai town of el-Arish, several hundred yards (metres) away from the local airport. The pipelines used to transport gas from Egypt's Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea to Israel and Jordan until last April this year when Egypt's national gas company said it had cut off exports to Israel, saying its Israeli partner had not paid its bills. Israeli officials said at that time the payments were halted because repeated attacks by militants on the gas pipeline had all but cut off gas shipments for the past year. Egypt began providing Israel with natural gas in February 2008 under a deal by which it will sell Israel 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres) a year for a period of 15 years. Israel and Egypt signed a historic peace treaty in 1979, and while relations have never been particularly warm, the quiet border has been critical for the security of the two neighbours. Egyptian energy exports to Israel and other business ties have helped keep the peace. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...