Lebanese President Michel Aoun receives the latest draft of a US-brokered proposal to demarcate Lebanon’s maritime border with Israel from Lebanese Parliament Vice President and negotiator Elias Bou Saab, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, October 2022.| Photo: EFE
This Tuesday, Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement classified as “historic” on the maritime border, as confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. The pact resolves a long-standing dispute over gas-rich waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
“This is a historic achievement, which will strengthen Israel’s security, inject millions into the Israeli economy and ensure the stability of our northern border,” Lapid said, through communication.
In the official note, the prime minister explained that the proposal drafted by the United States complies with “all the economic and security principles established by Israel”.
Lapid said he has convened a meeting of the Israeli Security Cabinet tomorrow, which will be followed by a meeting extraordinary meeting among all the ministers of the government he leads, so that the draft agreement can be evaluated.
The Israeli Prime Minister had previously presented “the fundamentals” of the proposal made by the American mediator Amos Hochs tein to the Security Cabinet, meeting at which what was acceptable to Israel was established.
In addition, the latest proposals from Lebanon were rejected, which almost paralyzed the negotiations.
To continue with the conversations, over the weekend, there was a ” intense dialogue” between the two delegations, mediated by Hochstein, in order to reach a draft acceptable to both sides.
Lebanon President Michel Aoun considered the text presented today as “satisfactory”, since it “reserves the rights of the Lebanon to its natural wealth”, at a time when the country is suffering one of its worst economic crises and lacks energy sources.
The agreement seeks to end a long-standing dispute over about 540 square kilometers from the sea meditate that covers the Karish and Qana gas fields, so that Israel will explore the first, and Lebanon the second.
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