Israel and Turkey are negotiating the construction of a giant energy and water project that will transport water, electricity, natural gas and oil via underwater pipelines to Israel, Jerusalem Post reported on Friday.

The proposal was confirmed by senior officials in Israeli National Infrastructure Ministry.

"The whole premise is based on the assumption that Turkey is becoming a major hub for energy in the region," said Gabby Levy, the director of International Relations at the National Infrastructure Ministry.

The water would be earmarked for Israel as well as for the Palestinian territories and Jordan, all of them suffering from chronic water shortages. The natural gas and electricity would be geared for Israeli use, Levy said.

According to the proposal, the oil sent to Israel from Turkey would then be transferred by tankers to the Far East, including

India, China and South Korea, he added.

Source: Xinhua