Agreement with Lebanon: Israel approves maritime border treaty

The Israeli cabinet has approved the maritime border treaty with Lebanon. This clears the way for signing. Mediated by the United States, both countries previously agreed on the agreement that is intended to enable offshore gas production in the Mediterranean.

The Israeli government has finally passed the agreement on the common sea border with Lebanon, thus paving the way for signing. This is a diplomatic achievement, said Israeli Prime Minister Jair Lapid at the beginning of the special cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. “It’s not every day that a hostile country recognizes the State of Israel in a written agreement before the international community.”

The result is also remarkable because both countries have been officially at war since 1948 and have no official diplomatic relations. The agreement puts an end to a decades-long dispute between the two warring countries over an area of ​​sea off the coast. The dispute over the border in the Mediterranean had intensified after the discovery of large mineral deposits. The negotiations were mediated by the United States.

Handover of the agreements in the afternoon

The agreements, signed separately by Israel and Lebanon, were due to be handed over to US mediator Amos Hochstein by negotiating teams at a United Nations (UN) base in Nakura in southern Lebanon this afternoon.

Development of offshore gas field Kana

The agreement is intended to enable the economically ailing Lebanon to develop the offshore gas field Kana. It is still unclear how much gas can actually be extracted there. The area around the Karish gas platform, northeast of the Israeli port city of Haifa, remains within Israeli sovereign territory. The country started gas production there yesterday.

Karisch was a major bone of contention in the negotiations. The government in Beirut reportedly claimed part of the gas field. The influential Hezbollah militia had threatened attacks if Israel started producing gas there.

The gas from Israel could also help ease Europe’s energy crisis. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has increasingly been looking for other gas suppliers.