Samantha Sutton emphasizes Israel's need to join the IMEC for economic growth and warns of regional competition for Mediterranean port access.
Israel must not miss the chance to join the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Samantha Sutton, a former US National Security Council director, told the Jerusalem Post during a workshop in Haifa, reported the Jerusalem Post.
Ms. Sutton, now a fellow at the Atlantic Council, stated that Haifa is a target port for IMEC, but the current capacity of 2.5 million TEU is far below the seven million TEU needed. She noted that Israel-Jordan crossing points also lack capacity, with only 200 trucks crossing daily compared to the 7,500 required.
Plans include infrastructure upgrades and new railways in both countries. The event was hosted by the Maritime Policy and Strategy Center in collaboration with Netanya Academic College and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and included a visit along the planned Israeli segment from Haifa to the Jordan River Bridges.
Ms. Sutton mentioned that pushback stems from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition partners, adding that a change of government would aid Israel's inclusion. She warned that other nations, including Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are investing in ports to become gateways to the Mediterranean.
She described Israel's exclusion as a worst-case scenario, stressing that international partners want Haifa to be the main Mediterranean port. She added that Gulf states view Israel more as a liability after the war, and that integrating Palestinians and Jordanians into IMEC would boost support.
Ms. Sutton noted that European representatives at the conference expressed interest in using the corridor as an energy hub for fossil fuel processing and exports, highlighting the strategic importance of Israel's participation.
