Israel, Lebanon complete third meeting over disputed maritime border
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon were launched in September, as Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement to hold negotiations on their maritime border after a years-long impasse.
By TOBIAS SIEGALAn Israeli military observation tower overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and part of the maritime border with Lebanon, near Rosh Hanikra last week.(photo credit: AMMAR AWAD / REUTERS)
The Israeli delegation for holding negotiations over the disputed Mediterranean Sea border between Israel and Lebanon completed on Wednesday the third round of talks with the Lebanese delegation at the UNIFIL base in Naqoura, Lebanon.At the end of Wednesday's meeting, held at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) HQ in Naquora, southern Lebanon, and attended by American mediator John Desrocher, both sides agreed to resume talks next month.Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon were launched in September, as Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement to hold talks on their maritime border after a years-long impasse. However, according to Beirut-based media, Lebanon has been pushing for more maritime territory than had previously been under negotiation with Israel.The Lebanese negotiators sought more maritime territory than the 860-square-kilometer triangle that had been under dispute with Israel for more than a decade, and their new demands encroach into Israeli gas fields, Lebanon’s Daily Star and Al Jazeera English reported.The disputed area starts from the countries’ border on the Mediterranean Sea, and is 5 -6 km. wide on average. The area would be about 2% of Israel’s economic waters.The US has tried to bring Israel and Lebanon to the negotiating table for the past decade, and more actively in the past three years.The Israeli delegation was appointed by Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and is headed by Energy Ministry director-general Udi Adiri. The delegation also includes the prime minister's political adviser Reuven Azar, the Foreign Ministry's political-strategic department head Alon Bar, the IDF strategic branch head Brig.-Gen. Dr. Oren Setter and other Foreign Ministry officials and experts on international borders. Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.
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