Hezbollah denies security guarantees to Israel in maritime deal

By Naim Burjawi

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) – Lebanese group Hezbollah has denied making security guarantees to Israel as part of a maritime border deal with Israel.

"Lebanon didn't provide any security guarantees [...] the Israeli enemy acknowledged the deterrence balance with the resistance,” Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech aired late Saturday.

Nasrallah said the border negotiations with Israel were about to lead to a war before Tel Aviv backtracked.

The Hezbollah chief said there is still a 2.5-square-kilometers area of Lebanese territorial water that wasn't addressed in the maritime deal.

“This area of Lebanese territorial water is occupied by the enemy and Lebanon must work for its liberation,” he added.

There was no comment from Israel on Nasrallah’s comments.

On Thursday, Lebanon and Israel signed a US-mediated maritime deal amid international and regional welcome of resolving the dispute.

Lebanon and Israel were 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.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar