Could Israel, Lebanon clinch final historical deal?
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Israel and Lebanon, the two Middle Eastern countries that have, for decades, shaped bloody trend in the region, drew maritime borders between them in an agreement described as “historical”.
The maritime border dispute has reached a breakthrough, or it seems so at least up to now. Both countries seem to urge the deal be finalized as they are short of time. The whole story has been proposed, mediated and hoped be delivered successfully by the US.
On September 11, US President Joe Biden phoned Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Lebanese President Michel Aoun in separate calls to congratulate them on the deal between the two countries. Biden said the deal would be to the benefit of both countries and bring stability to the region as well.
Geographically, both countries have no agreed borders. Lebanon refuses to dub Israelis as ‘partners,’ it considers the state of Israel an enemy. The current “Blue Line” was drawn by the United Nations in 2000 after Israel withdrew forces positioned in southern Lebanon to stop terrorist attacks.
On the same day of Biden’s phone calls, Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah said the coming hours are “decisive ones” adding “resistance” is waiting for the formal response of Lebanon.
Nasrallah’s remarks were indicating to the high probability of reaching a permanent agreement with Israel on the southern maritime borders of Lebanon the prospects of which remain vulnerable ones.
“Tonight we will not issue threats. Tonight there will only be joy and clapping,” Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address, adding that Hezbollah will “remain on alert” until the agreement is signed.
Nasrallah strikingly said they [Hezbollah] approves the Lebanese state regarding demands on the maritime borders, “We only care about the extraction of oil and gas from Lebanese waters and our stance on demarcation is known,” rejecting at the same time Israeli voices that Hezbollah’s could sabotage the deal.
In Israel, Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Wednesday he would push through a deal to demarcate a maritime border with Lebanon.
“We need to pass this deal at this time,” Lapid told a news conference on Wednesday shortly after his cabinet endorsed the agreement. Otherwise, he said, it could be years before another window of opportunity.
Economically, this could help the country exit the economic depression it stricken with since 2019. However, the exact compensation will be decided in negotiations with the French drilling company TotalEnergies.
Diplomatically, both countries have yet to establish ties. However, the necessary meeting in Naqoura to sign the proposed deal, could open the way for that trend, and would mean, though tacitly, a Lebanese recognition of the state of Israel a neighbor state since 1948.
Similarly, both countries are short of time. In Lebanon, the term of President Michel Aoun, a supporter of the deal, ends on Oct. 31. On the other side of the story, Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu accuses Yair Lapid of evading parliamentary scrutiny.
“It is the understanding of the United States, that the Parties intend to meet in the near future at Naqoura under the hosting of the staff of UNSCOL [Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon] in a meeting facilitated by the United States,” reads the text.
The Israelis are urging for a meeting in Naqoura while the Lebanese try to avoid that. Notably, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General said that the deal could be concluded if delegates met in Naqoura.
According to the text, the border will begin west of a line of buoys that extends from the contested land border. Those buoys will remain in place, according to the deal’s text.
If finalized, the agreement – hailed by all three parties as a historic achievement – would mark a diplomatic departure from decades of war and hostility as well as opening the door to offshore energy exploration that could benefit all parties concerned.
However, if succeeds, the deal will put an end to long-running dispute over some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea, covering the Karish and the Qana offshore gas fields.