Israel, Lebanon hold fifth maritime border talks meeting
At the end of the talks, the Israeli negotiating team updated Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, and they held discussions on their next steps.
By LAHAV HARKOVA MILITARY OBSERVATION tower overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and part of the maritime border with Lebanon, near Rosh Hanikra in northern Israel, in 2020.(photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
Israeli and Lebanese negotiating teams met for the first time in six months on Tuesday to negotiate the countries’ maritime border.The indirect talks at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base in Naquora on the Israel-Lebanon border took place over six hours.At the end of the talks, the Israeli negotiating team updated Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and held discussions on their next steps.Energy Ministry Director-General Udi Adiri led the Israeli delegation, which also included high-level representatives of the Foreign Ministry and IDF. The meeting was mediated by former US ambassador to Algeria John Desrocher.“The goal of the delegation in the meetings,” Steinitiz’s spokesman said before the latest round of talks, “is to examine the possibility of reaching an agreement on setting the maritime border between the countries and to find a solution that will allow for the development of natural resources in the region for the welfare of residents of the region.”The border dispute between Israel and Lebanon is about a triangular area of the Mediterranean Sea that starts at the countries’ land border, which is five to six kilometers wide on average and makes up about 2% of Israel’s economic waters.Israel and Lebanon began negotiations in October for the first time in 30 years. The talks broke down the following month after four meetings.During those negotiations, Lebanon increased its demands by presenting a map with a line further south, which would have added more than 1,400 sq.km. to the disputed area.Lebanese President Michel Aoun has thus far blocked the submission of the new map to the UN, despite attempts by other parts of his government.In response to Lebanon’s increased demands, Israel drew a new map doubling its claim but did not make use of it because Lebanon did not submit its new position to the UN.
