Israel wants maritime border deal with Lebanon 'by September' amid Hezbollah drone fire
Israel wants maritime border deal with Lebanon 'by September' amid Hezbollah drone fire
Israel is reportedly pushing for a maritime border deal to be reached by September when it plans to start extracting gas from the Karish field that Lebanon says is located in its territory.
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Israel has called on US energy envoyÌýAmos Hochstein to facilitate maritime border talks with Lebanon [AFP via Getty]
Israel is pushing toÌýsecure an agreement with Lebanon on the demarcation of theirÌý and avoidÌýconfrontation with over the Karish gas field,Ìýaccording to Israeli media reports.
Israeli officials are pushing for a deal to be reached by September, when it plans to start extracting gas from the field that Lebanon says is located in disputed territory,ÌýIsrael Hayom Ìý°Õ³Ü±ð²õ»å²¹²â.
It fears that a failure to reach an agreement before thenÌýwill create an environment that will allow Hezbollah to "escalate itsÌýprovocations" againstÌýit, the newspaper reported.
US energy envoyÌýÌýhas been called in by Israel to boost diplomatic efforts so an agreement can be reached as soon as possible, it added.
Channel 12 Ìýon Wednesday that Israeli officials had discussed in closed meetings the possibility of transferring the gas extraction platform from Karish elsewhere to avoid confrontation with Hezbollah but dismissed the idea due to 'logistical complications'.
Lebanese militia Hezbollah has in recent weeks towards the gas field, with its chief Hassan Nasrallah warning more aggression could come.
Israeli caretaker Prime MinisterÌýYair Lapid on TuesdayÌý to the border with Lebanon and flew over Karish. He called Hezbollah's actions "unacceptable".
"Israel's gas reserves have the potential to contribute to resolving the global energy crisis. Lebanon can also benefit from the development of its economic water reservoirs, through negotiations, which must be completed soon," Lapid said.
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