But the underlying conflict is between Noble Energy of Houston who has done all the development and has been seeking to sell this gas to recoup their investment. But there are those in Israel who want this gas only for Israel.
As for Obama and the US, we don't have a national oil company like Russia owns Gazprom. Obama and the US can't tell these private oil companies what to do.
If you haven't kept up with this ongoing saga between Nobel and Israel over the last 2-3 years, this event probably doesn't mean much.
Here's another current article with more/better info than the one above.
I have kept up some with the developments, thanks very much.
It appears that Jerusalem definitely wants the resource developed, albeit there’ve been too many squabbles yes...
I wondered when it was discovered whether Russia would ever try to take an interest in it....it now appears this is the case. Basically, it is a resource. A resource in demand in Europe, among other places. Russia has been very strategically increasing its control or influence on Europe via energy supplies. If Gazprom gets officially involved now, Russia will have some direct influence on just how (or at what prices) these energy supplies ever make their way to the European market. This would be very strategic for Russia’s other energy/gas interests as well (actually the probable primary concern from Moscow in this matter, I venture).
This is not how I wanted to see things work out, and I doubt it is how Bibi wanted them, either. But, Bibi definitely wants the resource developed and without further delays. Gazprom making a proposal right now might turn out to be an exceptionally astute move for them.
Beyond these strategy-level considerations, I have no inside information. Russia is almost certainly still far more interested in controlling the distribution (and eventaully probably the actual sources) of the Gulf energy products. I think that’s their primary move now, already blocking the Saudi-Omani terrorist gangs that were put into motion to clear a path thru Syria for Arabian fields energy pipeline(s) to Europe. Now that that’s taken care of, Russia will, I think, make further moves to exert more control over the gulf energy ...
but yes, Putin will like to have a say in the dev and/or distrib of the Israeli gas, too.... and he is perfectly capable of working two or three deals at once, to be sure.
Maybe Noble can get in, yet. (But i still think Russia will try to have some say in how that gas is marketed, even if Noble succeeds... we will see...)