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On Friday, Israel accused Lebanon of changing its position regarding the demarcation of the maritime borders between the two Mediterranean countries, warning that the talks would reach a “dead end” and obstruct oil exploration projects at sea. while Lebanon denied these accusations.
Lebanon and Israel, while officially at war, have held three rounds of indirect negotiations since last month, under the auspices of the United States and the United Nations. The next round has been set for early December.
“Lebanon has changed its position on its maritime border with Israel seven times,” Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a tweet.
He added: “His current position not only contradicts his previous positions, but also contradicts Lebanon’s position on the maritime borders with Syria, which takes into account the Lebanese islands close to the border.”
“Whoever wants prosperity in our region and seeks to safely develop natural resources must adhere to the principle of stability and resolve the dispute on the basis of what Israel and Lebanon have deposited with the United Nations,” he added, emphasizing that ” Any deviation from that will lead to a dead end and betrayal of the aspirations of the peoples of the region. “
The Lebanese presidency responded quickly to the Israeli accusations. In a statement issued by the Information Office on Friday, it considered Steinitz’s statement “that Lebanon” changed its positions seven times on the southern maritime borders issue “is unfounded.”
And he affirmed that “Lebanon’s position is firm on the issue of the maritime demarcation of the southern borders, in accordance with the directives of President (Michel) Aoun to the Lebanese negotiating delegation, especially with regard to the Lebanese exercise of its right. sovereign”.
The Israeli Energy Minister’s remarks came after Aoun announced on Thursday in a tweet at the expense of the presidency after receiving the commander of the international forces operating in the south (UNIFIL) that “the demarcation of the maritime borders is carried out based on the overland line from the Ras Naqoura point based on the general principle known as the median line, of Not counting any impact on the occupied Palestinian coastal islands.
And worry Talks Basically, with a marine area that covers about 860 square kilometers, according to a map sent in 2011 to the United Nations. However, Lebanon subsequently considered that it was based on erroneous estimates.
During the negotiation sessions, Lebanon will demand an additional area of 1,430 square kilometers that includes part of the “Karish” field in which the Greek company Energian operates, Laurie Haitian, director of the Institute for the Governance of Natural Resources, told AFP. in the Middle East and North Africa, an ancient force. And he considered that the two countries have today entered the “stage of the map war.”
In 2018, Lebanon signed the first contract to explore for gas and oil in two areas of its territorial waters, one of which, known as Block No. 9, is located in the disputed part with Israel. Consequently, Lebanon has no option to operate in this territory except after the borders are demarcated.
Lebanon and Israel have agreed to negotiate directly after years of quiet American diplomacy. The first two rounds of talks were held on the border with Lebanon in October and the third round earlier this month.
