The consensus is the result of the indirect negotiations conducted in 2020 with the mediation of the US and will allow both countries to unblock the exploitation of gas resources in the area
Israel and Lebanon, historical enemies, have reached an agreement in the entrenched dispute over the delimitation of their maritime borders. The consensus, the result of the indirect negotiations of the past two years mediated by the US, is expected to be formally signed in the coming days, according to both parties, and will allow them to unblock the exploitation of the gas resources of the area.
“Israel and Lebanon have reached a historic agreement that resolves the maritime dispute,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office said in a statement on Tuesday, defining it as “an historic milestone that will strengthen the country’s security.” For its part, the Lebanese presidency had previously indicated that the final proposal from US Representative Amos Hochstein was “satisfactory” and hoped to announce the agreed limits “as soon as possible”.
According to information published in the local media and disseminated by those responsible for the negotiations, the document plans to leave the Karish field under the control of the Jewish state and grant Lebanon the Qana gas field, which is further northeast. is. However, some of the latter will cross the border between the two countries, giving Israel some of the benefits of the exploitation, these sources indicated.
Hochstein had made a proposal early this month that was initially welcomed by both sides. However, the pact was on the brink of failure after Beirut tabled a series of amendments, which were later rejected by Tel Aviv. Despite this, negotiations continued until a final consensus was reached.
“All our demands were met, the changes we asked for were corrected. We have protected Israel’s security interests and we are moving towards a historic agreement,” Israel’s chief negotiator Eyal Hulata said in a statement on Tuesday.
The consensus between Lebanon and Israel, two countries that are technically at war, have no diplomatic relations and whose land borders are guarded by the United Nations, is crucial. Not surprisingly, in a context of gas shortages in Europe due to the invasion of Ukraine, the Jewish State authorities want to begin exploitation in Karish as soon as possible to export this hydrocarbon to the Old Continent. On Sunday, British gas drilling company Energean began the first exploratory tests in Karish after government approval.
Negotiations, which have been conducted with US mediation since 2020, revolve around an area of 860 square kilometers that both countries claim are in their respective exclusive economic zones, an issue of particular importance following the discovery of gas reserves in this area where both sides to be able to use it as soon as possible.
Source: La Verdad
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