Israel and Lebanon reached a historic agreement on Tuesday on a long-standing maritime border dispute, after months of U. S. -brokered negotiations.
The breakthrough between the two long-standing adversaries, who are still technically at war, will allow either country to expand offshore fuel fields in its waters and increase fuel production, whose exports may be important for Europe in its desperate search for new sources. .
Although it has not yet been officially ratified, both sides have expressed satisfaction with the terms of the agreement.
“This is a historic achievement that will enhance Israel’s security, inject billions into the Israeli economy and ensure the stability of our northern border,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement.
He added that the “unprecedented agreement” will ensure Israel’s security and supply more affordable energy to countries around the world.
His comments came here after Lebanon won the final draft of the U. S. -brokered deal with Israel.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said the terms of Lebanon’s new draft and expressed hope in a message from his official Twitter account that the deal will be announced soon.
The Israeli president thanked US special envoy Amos Hochstein for his “hard work” in mediating the deal.
Israel and Lebanon have been at war for decades since 1948, and both countries claim a strip of territory in the Mediterranean Sea, which is part of the Karish fuel box and Qana, a potential fuel box.
Negotiations over the border dispute between Israel and Lebanon over the gas-rich waters off the countries’ Mediterranean coasts have been ongoing since October 2020.
The Karish fuel field, which is being developed by Israel, is threatened by Hezbollah, the tough Lebanese political and militant organization subsidized by Iran.
In an unexpected move, Hezbollah accepted the terms of the deal and considers negotiations “over,” Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two unnamed Lebanese senior officials.
While there are still some steps to be approved before the maritime agreement is officially ratified, the mere fact that the two countries can agree on anything that improves each other’s safety and profits is a victory, said former U. S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
“The agreement has yet to paint in either political system. It’s not easy,” Shapiro wrote on Twitter. It depends on the Israeli General Assembly, the courts and the electorate: the internal affairs of Israelis. For U. S. interests, a solution that allows fuel for Lebanon and more fuel for Israel without threat of confrontation is a victory. “
It should be noted that the agreement only considers a territorial dispute in a corner of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, and not land borders, which are still in dispute.
As for what the deal looks like, the U. S. proposal is not enough. The U. S. government necessarily divides the maritime border in two, with the first 3 miles of coastline marked as Israel’s border, which has been treated as such for several years. Beyond that, the border will remain a delimited line through Lebanon, called Line 23, which means that obviously the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of that country will be defined.
Israel has discovered massive fuel deposits in its EEZ that have contributed to its own materials and exports. This is something that can be very useful for Europe as it grapples with its looming energy crisis after Russia’s fuel source was cut off in reaction to sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Israel’s Lapid said his government pledged to expand fuel exports to Europe.
Lebanon has not yet controlled the start of production, and the progress of tenders and licenses is progressing slowly or not at all, partly due to the country’s endemic corruption. monetary situation, which has left it with daily blackouts and the impossibility of importing fuel.
The deal will also allow Lebanon to begin exploring Qana’s fuel box, in its southern exploration block, a consortium led by French power giant Total. As the Qana box flows through Israeli waters, the deal would allow Israel to get a share of the royalties if advertising amounts of fuel are found.
Lebanese negotiators say Lebanon has retained all its maritime blocs.
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