The US news website Axios quoted a White House official as saying that resolving the maritime dispute between Israel and Lebanon is a major priority for the administration of US President Joe Biden.
This comes at a time when Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri considered that the ball is in the court of the American mediator regarding border demarcation.
The US official added - according to Axios - that the United States continues to narrow the gaps between Lebanon and Israel, and believes that it is possible to reach a permanent settlement between them.
He indicated that the US envoy maintains daily contacts with Israeli and Lebanese officials, and the website quoted Israeli officials as saying that the envoy is expected to visit Lebanon and Israel next week.
Reuters reported on the White House that the US President stressed, during a phone call with the Israeli Prime Minister, the importance of ending the maritime border negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in the coming weeks.
In turn, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that the ball is in the court of American mediator Amos Hochstay regarding the demarcation of Lebanon's southern maritime borders, stressing that Lebanon will defend its legitimate rights if its sovereignty is threatened by Israel.
Berri said, in a speech yesterday, Wednesday, during a ceremony held by the Amal movement that he leads in Al-Qassem Square in the city of Tire in southern Lebanon: "Awaiting the answer of the American negotiator, we affirm that our borders and our sovereignty as our honor, we do not negotiate over them and we will defend them with all our capabilities," adding that "the ball Now in the American stadium, we are not war fans."
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution extending the stay of the UN forces in Lebanon until August 31 next year.
The resolution welcomes the expansion of the coordinated activities between UNIFIL and the Lebanese army, and calls for stopping any restrictions or obstacles to the movement of UNIFIL personnel, and ensuring the freedom of movement of the force, including allowing declared and undeclared patrols.
The resolution urges Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from the northern Ghajar area in Lebanese territory, without further delay, in coordination with UNIFIL.
In early August, the US mediator in the maritime border demarcation negotiations held talks with officials in Lebanon and Israel.
At the time, Anadolu Agency quoted a high-ranking source as saying that Beirut assured the American mediator of its adherence to the 23rd border line and the entire Qana oil field, and not to share gas extraction and its revenues with Israel.
Lebanon and Israel are quarreling with a sea area rich in oil and gas in the Mediterranean with an area of 860 square kilometers, according to maps deposited by both parties to the United Nations, and the United States is mediating indirect negotiations to settle the dispute and demarcate the maritime borders between them.
“Indirect” negotiations were launched between Beirut and Tel Aviv in October 2020 under the auspices of the United Nations, with the aim of demarcating the borders between the two sides. Five rounds of negotiations were held, the last of which was in May 2021.