Israel, Lebanon ink maritime border deal
Delegations from Israel, Lebanon, the United States, the United Nations and France gathered in Naqoura, Lebanon, to make the agreement on the Israeli-Lebanese maritime border official.
Israel and Lebanon have signed their US-mediated maritime boundary agreement. The two delegations inked the deal at the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura, where several of the US-mediated talks took place.
Reports over the past week said that the Israeli and the Lebanese delegations would each sign the agreement in a separate room. According to Israeli press reports this afternoon, both delegations were in the same room during the signing, which took place in the presence of US mediator Amos Hochstein and United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka. There were no handshakes nor family pictures. Israel was represented by Energy Minister Karin Elharar.
Lebanese President Nichel Aoun signed the agreement earlier today in Beirut. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid also signed it earlier today, after the cabinet ratified it. After signing, Lapid said, “It is not every day that an enemy state recognizes the State of Israel in a written agreement, in view of the entire international community. It’s not every day that the United States and France stand behind us and provide security and economic guarantees for the agreement.”
Lapid also personally thanked President Joe Biden for the role he played in bringing about the agreement, tweeting, "Thank you President Biden for your leadership in helping bring about today's historic agreement between Israel and Lebanon. This deal will strengthen Israel's security, bolster our economy and help deliver cheaper energy to people around the world,"
