What is the Lebanon-Israel agreement on maritime borders? What are the Lebanese requirements?

Lebanon and Israel have recently given their affirmative nods to a historic agreement to cease the sea borders dispute; a dispute that had been running for a considerably long time in the Mediterranean Sea. The deal is a win-win agreement for both parties. The deal satisfies the requirements of both nations.

Elias Bou Saab, Lebanon’s deputy speaker stated on Wednesday, post submitting the final draft of the deal to President Michel Aoun, that an agreement has been reached that aims to satisfy both parties.

“Lebanon has obtained its full rights, and all of its remarks have been taken into account,” expressed the deputy speaker of Lebanon. He also stated that the final draft “takes into consideration all of Lebanon’s requirements and we believe that the other side should feel the same”.

The agreement on the demarcation is soon to be announced, as per the Lebanon presidency. It is interesting to note that President Michel Aoun has clarified that the deal would not imply a “partnership” with Israel. Despite the remarkable agreement, the two nations are still technically at war.

Moreover, Eyal Hulata, Israeli National Security Adviser who led the nation’s negotiating team echoed the deputy speaker’s statements.

“All our demands were met, and the changes that we asked for were corrected. We protected Israel’s security interests and are on our way to a historic agreement,” the man stated.

On the other hand, Israel calls it “a historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security”.

A signing date for the agreement is yet to be decided.

The Agreement

All eyes are set on the agreement with the hope that it may lessen security and economic concerns amidst both rival countries. 

The agreement is expected to solve a long-running territorial dispute in the Mediterranean Sea’s eastern tip. This is where Lebanon hopes to explore the much-demanded natural gas, and Israel has successfully explored commercially feasible amounts of hydrocarbons.

What are the Lebanese requirements?

Lebanon earlier held a myriad of concerns regarding the border. 

To start with, the first concern was regarding a buoys-marked borderline that was curated by Israel because its forces withdrew from Lebanon in 2000. 

Lebanon sought for language in the draft to be altered in order to prevent this from becoming an international sea border.

Next, Lebanon did not approve the Qana gas field in a southern Lebanese exploration block running into Israeli waters. The field has not been explored yet. While Lebanon is not ready to pay any profits from its share of the field to its rival nation Israel, the other party states it may fall inside its exclusive economic zone.

Lastly, the government of Lebanon wished TotalEnergies, the French oil giant, to work with it independently of any projects with Israel.

 Let’s get to know about Hezbollah, a political party in Lebanon backed by Iran. The party has threatened to resort to force against Israel in case the latter looks for gas around the disputed area before Lebanon is given the permit.

As per a reporter from Al Jazeera reporting from West Jerusalem, “This is the first time any sort of agreement between these two countries has been reached.”

 The report stated that the agreement is in Israel’s security interest as Lebanon is presently dependent on Israel for energy.

“It is in Israel’s interest that Lebanon is able to exploit any reserves it might find in its territorial waters,” the reporter added.

Israel will be holding a security cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and then the deal will move to the high court.

"Then Israel’s Knesset has to give the final rubber stamp to it,” the reporter stated further. “They want to do all of this before Israel’s elections on November 1, but there’s no guarantee that it will happen before then.”

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