US envoy hopes for Lebanon-Israel sea border talks

A US envoy on Monday expressed optimism that Lebanon and Israel could move towards a maritime border deal to settle competing claims to offshore gas fields.

The maritime border dispute between the neighbors escalated in early June after Israel moved a production vessel near the Karish offshore field, which is partially claimed by Lebanon.

The move prompted Beirut to call for the resumption of US-brokered negotiations over the border dispute.

“I remain optimistic that we can make steady progress as in the past few weeks and I look forward to returning to the region and being able to make the final arrangements,” Amos Hochstein told reporters after a meeting with Lebanese leaders.

Hochstein supports an Israeli proposal in response to an offer of demarcation from Lebanon last June.

This was the envoy’s second visit in less than two months.

On Monday he met President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Speaker Nabih Berri at the Presidential Palace.

Lebanon is trying to “finalize an agreement that preserves its rights and wealth, and which, once negotiations are complete, could provide an opportunity to revitalize the economy,” Aoun said ahead of Monday’s meeting.

Lebanon and Israel have no diplomatic relations and are separated by a UN-guarded border.

They had restarted sea border negotiations in 2020, but the process was stalled by Beirut’s claims that the map used by the UN in the talks needed to be changed.

Lebanon initially claimed 860 square kilometers (330 sq mi) of territory in the disputed sea area, but then demanded an additional 1,430 square kilometers, including part of the Karish Field.

Israel claims the field is within its waters and is not part of the disputed area, which is the subject of ongoing negotiations.