Energean, the operator of the Karish field, announced the connection of the platform to the delivery pipelines and the start of the experimental reverse pumping process from the shore of the platform, after Israel announced its intention to operate the field even without the agreement with Lebanon.
And the Israel Broadcasting Corporation reported that the "Energean" company, which has a concession in extracting gas from the Karish field in the Mediterranean, will start the experimental pumping process on Sunday.
And the American news website Axios quoted a statement from Energean that today's procedure comes to examine the readiness of the marine connection system between the platform and the onshore delivery network.
In the absence of technical failures, the gas can be extracted within a few weeks.
The move came after the security leaders in Israel gave a green light to the company to begin examining the experimental pumping process, as well as despite the threat of the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, who considered the start of oil extraction from the Karish field a red line.
In a speech last month, Nasrallah said that the party's eyes and missiles were directed at the Karish gas field, noting that "it cannot be allowed to extract oil and gas from the Karish field before Lebanon obtains its rightful demands."
Gantz threatens
Yesterday, Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz issued a threat to Lebanon, warning that any act of sabotage or attack by Hezbollah to disrupt Israel's start of work and the extraction of gas in the Kerish field would cost Lebanon a heavy price and would lead to its dismantling, as he put it.
In the same context, the "Axios" website quoted a US official as saying that negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon have witnessed progress, as new drafts were exchanged to try to bridge the remaining gaps in the agreement.
The Israeli Walla website quoted an official in the US administration as saying that new drafts and copies were exchanged in an attempt to reach an agreement on the remaining gaps.
Negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel are indirect technical negotiations and are held under American mediation and UN sponsorship (Al-Jazeera)
In the same context, Al-Jazeera correspondent quoted an official Lebanese source as confirming that contacts have been going on for two days with the American mediator, Amos Hochstein, about the file demarcation of the border.
The source added that the contacts take place via the video circuit, and that there is a serious movement and an exchange of ideas with the American mediator in an attempt to address all the gaps and details related to the file demarcation of the border.
Stalled negotiations
While Israel says the entire Karish field is in its exclusive economic zone, Lebanon says the field is in part of the waters disputed with Israel.
Washington mediated in the dispute, which escalated in early June, with the London-based Energean Company bringing in a ship to extract gas from the field.
Israel and Lebanon resumed negotiations on their maritime borders in 2020, then stopped later due to fundamental differences before they resumed again.
And last June, tensions escalated between them when ships belonging to the Energean company, dedicated to extracting gas, which had been chartered for Israel, arrived in the disputed maritime area.
Last Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid rejected Lebanon's comments on the text of the agreement, after the US mediator Hochstein conveyed them to Tel Aviv.