Israel allows production at Karish gas field amid Lebanon maritime deal

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli Ministry of Energy granted approval to US company Energean to start production at the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean, according to local media.

The move came as Israel and Lebanon are set to sign a US-brokered agreement to demarcate their maritime border on Thursday.

State broadcaster KAN said the ministry gave final permission to the US gas company for production at the offshore Karish field.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Monday: "We will sign a historic agreement with Lebanon on Thursday. Israel will be the main gas supplier to Europe in the near future."

“The production of natural gas from the Karish field strengthens Israel's energy stability and promotes its position as energy exporters,” he added.

Israel and Lebanon have been locked in a dispute over a maritime area of 860 square kilometers (332 square miles) rich in gas and oil, according to maps sent by both countries to the UN in 2011.

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.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report