β― Four days from now, the US mediator and special envoy for energy, Amos Hochstein, will land in Beirut to meet President Michel Aoun, and hand him the official agreement.
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β― Israeli media reports that the head of the National Security Council, Eyal Hulta, and the Director General of the Ministry of Energy, Lior Shilat, will cross into Lebanon to sign the papers.
There will be no official signing ceremony.
There will be no official signing ceremony.
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β― The sense of urgency displayed by both parties is intended to finalize the maritime dispute as soon as possible, as both Lebanon and Israel are in the midst of an election season that could hinder all progress made.
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Initial: Syrian air defense are engaging foreign targets.
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The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter from Syria announcing their refusal to receive the Lebanese delegation to demarcate the borders due to prior engagements.
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β― Hours prior, Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Israeli PM Yair Lapid signed the deal in their respective offices.
Lapid said that the agreement βstrengthens and fortifies Israel's security and our freedom to act against Hezbollah and threats from the northβ.
Lapid said that the agreement βstrengthens and fortifies Israel's security and our freedom to act against Hezbollah and threats from the northβ.
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β― In a broadcast to his cabinet, Lapid attempted to frame the deal as Lebanon's recognition of Israel. However, Aoun later said the deal was purely "technical" and would have "no political dimensions or impacts that contradict Lebanon's foreign policy".
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β― Lebanon's new border (Line β 23) is a better result than the 2012 US-proposed Hof Line (Line β H)
US diplomat Frederic Hof mediated the border dispute from 2011 to 2012, during Mikatiβs 2012 government. He offered Lebanon 55% of the βdisputed zoneβ (zone from Lines β 1 to 23), essentially putting the Qana and Karish gasfields in Israeli territory.
When negotiations restarted in June 2020, President Aoun supported claiming Line β 29 (after studies were done by the Lebanese army, endorsed by the UK Hydrographic Office), but he never ratified it, due to US pressure.
Ten years passed and Lebanon (under the same PM Mikati) has obtained a better result.
US diplomat Frederic Hof mediated the border dispute from 2011 to 2012, during Mikatiβs 2012 government. He offered Lebanon 55% of the βdisputed zoneβ (zone from Lines β 1 to 23), essentially putting the Qana and Karish gasfields in Israeli territory.
When negotiations restarted in June 2020, President Aoun supported claiming Line β 29 (after studies were done by the Lebanese army, endorsed by the UK Hydrographic Office), but he never ratified it, due to US pressure.
Ten years passed and Lebanon (under the same PM Mikati) has obtained a better result.
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