MESSAGE
| DATE | 2020-10-13 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [Hangout - NYLXS] Mediterainian Gas and Israel and Lebonon
|
Israel, Lebanon Agree to U.S.-Mediated Talks to Resolve Maritime Border
Dispute
Felicia Schwartz in Tel Aviv and Nazih Osseiran in Beirut
4-6 minutes
Israel and Lebanon agreed to begin U.S.-brokered talks this month aimed
at resolving a long-running maritime border dispute, an achievement that
would allow both sides to exploit natural-gas reserves in the disputed
area off their eastern Mediterranean coasts.
The U.S.-mediated talks between the foes, who are still formally at war,
will begin in about two weeks at a United Nations base in the city of
Naqoura on the Lebanese side of their de facto land border. Israel and
Lebanon have regular indirect contacts at the same base to discuss
border violations.
“Our presumptive goal is to arrive at a peaceful resolution on the
matter of the exclusive economic zone bordering between Israel and
Lebanon in a way that benefits both neighboring nations,” said Israeli
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is overseeing Israel’s participation
in the talks.
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker
said he would serve as the U.S. mediator of the discussions. Army
officials will participate for Lebanon.
Lebanese officials, whose management of the country has been under fire
since the August port explosion, are pinning their hopes on possible oil
and gas reserves to steer Lebanon away from economic ruin. “If the
demarcation succeeds...that would be one of the reasons behind us paying
our debt,” said Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker, who has
led negotiations with Washington on Lebanon’s behalf.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced an agreement to begin
talks, at a news conference in Beirut on Thursday.
Photo: wael hamzeh/Shutterstock
The discussions between the Israeli and Lebanese governments are a
significant development amid heightened tensions between Israel and
Hezbollah, the dominant political and military force in the country.
Israel and Hezbollah—which have been in constant conflict and fought a
full war in 2006—have engaged in a series of escalations over the
summer. Israel has widened its campaign to blunt the threat posed by
Iran’s ally, which it says is working to manufacture precision-guided
missiles that could overwhelm its missile defense.
American officials have been working for 10 years to try to resolve the
maritime border dispute, which includes a 330-square-mile area.
Thursday’s agreement follows three years of indirect discussions
mediated by the Trump administration.
The countries don’t have an agreed-upon land border but are committed to
a cease-fire along what is known as the Blue Line, a boundary drawn by
the U.N. after Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
Both Israel and Lebanon could see significant economic benefit from
demarcating their maritime border, as it would allow the two to pursue
natural-gas production in the disputed area.
Lebanon’s currency has lost more than 80% of its value against the
greenback amid a dollar crunch that bled the country of its
foreign-exchange reserves. The country’s banking sector has nearly
collapsed, locking depositors out of their dollar accounts. In March,
Lebanon defaulted on its international debt, the first time the country
failed to meet its obligations to international markets.
Analysts say only a bailout by an international institution or an influx
of hard foreign currency will fix Lebanon’s battered economy.
Lebanon’s government wants to see Total SA, a French energy company,
begin drilling in one of the blocks adjacent to the contested area, and
Israel is meanwhile preparing international drilling for a neighboring
block as well.
Write to Felicia Schwartz at Felicia.Schwartz-at-wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications
Israel and Hezbollah have fought one full war. An earlier version of
this article incorrectly said Israel and Hezbollah fought two full wars.
(Corrected on Oct. 5)
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