Biden hails Israel, Lebanon on maritime border deal

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday to congratulate them for having reached a “historic” deal to establish a permanent maritime boundary, ending a long-running dispute between both countries.

"I am pleased to announce a historic breakthrough in the Middle East," Biden said in a statement after speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Lebanon President Michel Aoun.

“After months of mediation by the United States, the Governments of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to formally end their maritime boundary dispute and establish a permanent maritime boundary between them,” he said.

It took years to achieve the agreement that will allow the countries to obtain revenue from potentially rich Mediterranean gas fields and could ease military tensions between them.

The agreement "will provide for the development of energy fields for the benefit of both countries, setting the stage for a more stable and prosperous region, and harnessing vital new energy resources for the world," Biden said.

The US president spoke Tuesday to Lapid and Aoun to congratulate them on the deal that was praised by both leaders.

“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," Lapid said in a statement.

President Aoun said in a tweet Tuesday that the final version of the agreement was “satisfactory” for Lebanon. In the phone call, Biden told Aoun that “the United States remains committed to the Lebanese people and to supporting stability and sovereignty with Lebanon."

The agreement, the first one on border demarcation between the two nations that have been at war since 1948, still needs to be formally ratified, for which no date has been set yet.

Negotiations over the territory in the Mediterranean Sea, which contain part of the Karish gas field and Qana, a prospective gas field, have been ongoing since 2020. The Karish field has been threatened by Hezbollah, the Iran-allied militant group that controls a part of Lebanon.

One of the disputed points had been Lebanon’s refusal to recognize buoys placed at sea by Israel years ago. Another issue was Lebanon’s refusal to share revenues from the Qana gas field.

Biden “confirmed the readiness of both governments to move forward with this agreement”. ​​​​​​​