JERUSALEM, June 18 (Reuters) - Israel will build a 254-kilometre (158 mile) fibre-optic cable between the Mediterranean and Red Sea, creating a continuous link between Europe and countries in the Gulf and Asia, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday.
The project, said EAPC Chief Executive Itzik Levy, "will position Israel as a communication land bridge connecting the Gulf countries and Asia to Europe."
It will be available to any telecom company licensed in Israel under a 25-year lease, the ministry said.
EAPC, or the Europe Asia Pipeline Company, offers its pipeline as an alternative to the Suez Canal.
The ministry said the fibre-optic deployment along the pipeline route will help monitor any changes in terrain and detect possible leaks.
Persons:
Itzik Levy, Ari Rabinovitch, James Mackenzie, David Evans
Organizations:
Finance, Sunday . State, Israel, Europe Asia Pipeline Company, Thomson
Locations:
Israel, Red, Europe, Gulf, Asia, Ashkelon, Eilat, Suez