Israel: an agreement in sight with Lebanon on the drawing of maritime borders

This photo released by oil and gas company Energean on September 20, 2022 shows an Energean floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in the Karish field, an offshore gas field in the Mediterranean Sea claimed by Israel and part by Lebanon.

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3 mins

The details have yet to be worked out, but the American mediation project on the drawing of the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon and the exploitation of gas deposits could soon have the force of an agreement between the two countries.

A first... But it's not all over, because this agreement is now becoming one of the issues in the Israeli electoral campaign, 15 days before the legislative news.

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For Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, the emerging agreement “ 

” and “

” Israel's interests.

The Israelis are still very discreet about the content of the mediation proposal, reports our correspondent in Jerusalem, 

.

But, according to the Israeli media, they are not opposed to the drawing of maritime borders which will allow Lebanon to exploit the Qana deposit although it exceeds the future line of demarcation between the two countries.

An operation that will be carried out through the intermediary of the French group Total, which will have to pay royalties to Israel.

The

will remain under Israeli control and its exploitation could begin in the coming weeks.

Several experts believe that this agreement could also help calm relations between Israel and Hezbollah, which last July attempted to attack a gas platform using drones.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu accuses his successor of having capitulated to Lebanese demands.

And he simply threatens not to respect the agreement in the event of victory in the elections on November 1st.

A wind of optimism reigns in Beirut

A wind of optimism reigns in Beirut on a possible agreement on the sharing of offshore gas resources between Lebanon and Israel.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Mikati said that an agreement on the maritime route between the two countries could be signed "

" on October 31.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called

Lebanon's receipt of US mediator Amos Hochstein's written proposal on the demarcation of the maritime border a "

The proposed agreement submitted on Saturday, October 1 by the United States ambassador to the Lebanese leaders almost completely satisfies Lebanon's demands.

The text retains the maritime route known as line 23, claimed by Beirut, and grants it the entire Qana gas field, part of which is located south of this line, that is to say on the Israeli side.

The demand for financial compensation paid to Israel by Lebanon in return for this concession has been abandoned.

A compromise was reached on Israel's security imperatives.

An area of ​​8 square kilometers located north of the maritime route, that is to say on the Lebanese side, will be monitored by the UN naval force deployed off Lebanon, while remaining under Lebanese sovereignty.

The text of the agreement will be examined on Monday, October 3 by President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Nagib Mikati and Head of Parliament Nabih Berry.

If Lebanon and Israel agree, the document will be signed separately by the leaders of the two countries and initialed by the United States and the UN.

The exploitation of the Lebanese economic zone could then begin, which would offer Lebanon, hit for four years by an unprecedented crisis, interesting financial prospects.

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• Lebanon

• Israel

• Najib Mikati

• Michael Aoun

• Yair Lapid

• Binyamin Netanyahu