Final Israel-Lebanon maritime border draft could ‘imminently’ lead to deal

Lebanon has received a final
draft of a US-mediated maritime border deal with Israel that
satisfies all of Lebanon’s requirements and could imminently
lead to a “historic deal,” Lebanese lead negotiator Elias Bou
Saab told Reuters news agency.

“If everything goes well, Amos Hochstein’s efforts could
imminently lead to a historic deal,” Bou Saab said minutes after
receiving the final draft from Hochstein, the US official who
has engaged in months of shuttle diplomacy to end the dispute.

While limited in scope, an agreement would ease security
and economic concerns in both countries, whose shared history is
rife with conflict.

The deal will resolve a territorial dispute in the
eastern tip of the Mediterranean sea in an area where Lebanon
aims to explore for natural gas and near waters Israel has found
commercially viable quantities of hydrocarbons.

“We received minutes ago the final draft … Lebanon felt
that it takes into consideration all of Lebanon’s requirements
and we believe that the other side should feel the same,” Bou
Saab said.

Israel last week rejected last-minute amendments to the
deal by Lebanon that briefly appeared to jeopardize longstanding
efforts to reach an agreement.

READ MORE:
Lebanon suggests changes to maritime border deal with Israel

US mediated negotiations

Officials from both countries were in close contact via the US mediator over the past days in an effort to resolve outstanding differences.

Lebanon and Israel are officially at war and their land border is patrolled by the United Nations.

They reopened negotiations on their maritime border in 2020, but the process was stalled by Lebanon’s demand that the map used by the UN in the talks be modified.

The negotiations resumed in early June after Israel moved a production vessel near the Karish offshore field.

The latest proposal by Washington was welcomed by both Israel and Hezbollah, a major player in Lebanon that considers Israel its arch-enemy.

READ MORE:
Israel begins to test pumping gas from disputed gas field with Lebanon