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A source in the Israeli Energy Ministry announced the refusal of his government to consider the new Lebanese request to expand the disputed area on the maritime borders. He said that this Lebanese request is aimed at full control of Israeli gas fields in the Mediterranean, and does not meet the demands that Lebanon made 10 years ago..
The Israeli source said that the Lebanese negotiators in Ras al-Naqoura surprised the Israeli delegation by presenting a new map showing that they are not only demanding an area of 850 kilometers in dispute, but an additional 1,430 kilometers within the Israeli zone in economic waters. . This led to a heated debate between the two delegations, and the Israelis were informed of their refusal to even discuss this request..
Despite strong disagreement on the issue, the two sides agreed on Thursday to resume talks in two weeks. According to the Israeli television channel 12, the one who raised the new Lebanese request was the commander of the Armed Forces, General Joseph Aoun. She said that Aoun explained her request by saying that the maritime borders between the two countries must match the original borders drawn between Britain and France, which controlled the region during the British Mandate in 1923..
Source: Middle East
