Israel says historic agreement made with Lebanon on maritime borders
© Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images In this photo taken on Oct. 7, 2022, tourists walk in a viewing post overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Israel's Rosh Hanikra, at the border area with Lebanon.JERUSALEM — Israeli and Lebanese leaders appear to have agreed to a U.S.-brokered deal that will let both countries exploit gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean, ending a decades-long dispute over their maritime border, easing growing military tensions and potentially providing billions of dollars to Lebanon’s collapsing economy.
The agreement, which has to be formally approved in both countries, was hailed by leaders in Beirut and Jerusalem as a historic breakthrough.
“This is a historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security, inject billions into Israel’s economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement Tuesday.
In a tweet, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said he hopes the announcement will be made as soon as possible, adding that “the final version of the offer is satisfactory for Lebanon and answers its demands and preserves its rights to its natural wealth.”
“If everything goes well, [Washington’s] efforts could imminently lead to a historic deal,” Bou Saab, Lebanon’s lead negotiator on the issue, told Reuters after receiving the text of the deal from American officials Tuesday.
Dadouch reported from Beirut.
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