Across-border pipeline is among the most important geopolitical factors deciding the future nations involved. The Arab Gas Pipeline is no different. Starting in Egypt and passing through Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, the pipeline will be crucial not only in providing these countries with energy, but in binding political agreements and even peace deals — if one country stops the pipeline, others will suffer, and thus each link of the network has to function for all to benefit. Unless, of course, the country is Lebanon. The Arab Gas Pipeline, an operation that was to have begun several times already, was originally designed to pass through Lebanon, rather than dead-ending in the country. The initial plan determined the pipeline would start in Egypt, go underwater to Lebanon, then overland to Syria and Turkey. That design would have practically permanently secured supply to tiny Lebanon — if gas transmission stopped here, it
