The Department of Energy is leaning on Israel’s offshore gas resources and cybersecurity prowess to help an emerging Eastern Mediterranean energy alliance, with officials telling Jewish Insider that Israeli participation uniquely “strengthens” the newly formed coalition.

Earlier this month, the U.S., Cyprus, Greece and Israel formalized the partnership, announcing the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center (EMEC) on the campus of Rice University in Houston. Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed a declaration of intent alongside Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, Cypriot Energy Minister Michael Damianos and Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou. 

The center will serve as a permanent hub for research, policy dialogue, technical cooperation, and public‑private partnerships focused on infrastructure, investment, emerging technologies, and regional connectivity, according to the department. 

A spokesperson for the Department of Energy told JI that the agreement was part of a “longstanding effort to deepen cooperation” and that Israel’s involvement in the newly established EMEC partnership is vital to the coalition’s geopolitical objectives.

“Israel brings strategic geography, significant offshore gas resources, strong innovation and cybersecurity capabilities, and a dynamic technology ecosystem,” the spokesperson said. “Israel is also a key U.S. ally and a central partner in the broader Eastern Mediterranean’s energy and security architecture. Israel’s inclusion strengthens EMEC as a platform for cooperation on energy security and related regional priorities.”

The spokesperson added that the participation of Leiter “reflected Israel’s importance to the success of this initiative and underscored the strength of the 3+1 partnership,” which entails periodic meetings between the alliance’s energy ministers to coordinate regional security. The group last met in Athens in November 2025.

The agreement directly builds on a core objective of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, a bipartisan framework passed by Congress in 2019 during the first Trump administration in an effort to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region.

“This agreement directly advances the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act by implementing one of its central ideas: establishing a U.S.–Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center to anchor long‑term cooperation among the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel,” the department spokesperson said. “It sought to counter malign influence, strengthen democratic partners, and use energy cooperation as a tool for regional stability.”

Locating the center in Houston is also a key component of that strategic objective, according to the department.

“Houston is the energy capital of the world and home to many U.S. companies partnering with Cyprus, Greece and Israel to develop their energy resources,” the spokesperson said. “Locating the EMEC in Houston connects the partnership to the world’s leading energy ecosystem and the expertise of industry leaders.”

For the U.S., the department argued that the agreement will achieve key goals of the Trump administration, such as strengthening partnerships across the region.

“For the United States, EMEC deepens energy partnerships with key regional allies, expands opportunities for American energy development and innovation, and reinforces U.S. leadership in shaping the landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the spokesperson said. “The Trump administration remains focused on strengthening these energy relationships to enhance global energy security and advance a more secure and prosperous future for the region and for the United States.”