In win for Lapid, Israel hails imminent maritime agreement with Lebanon
Despite threats from Hezbollah, and despite harsh criticism from opposition chief Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister Yair Lapid hopes for the government to soon approve the maritime border agreement with Lebanon.
This morning, the office of caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid issued a statement saying Israel had just received a draft agreement for its maritime border with Lebanon that “responds to all the security, economic and legal demands it had made,” and would be presented to the security Cabinet next week. “This is a historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security, bring in billions and promise stability along the northern border,” Lapid said.
Israel and Lebanon are engaged in a race to the finish line. Not against each other, but rather against the clock and against two other runners intent on torpedoing the final draft agreement presented this week to both sides by US mediator Amos Hochstein on demarcation of their gas-rich economic waters. Lebanon and Israel both are keen to sign the deal after years of fruitless negotiations.
The two runners against the deal are Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nasrallah might reluctantly step back from the threats he has been making against Israel once he realizes that the deal is done and that his fellow Lebanese would never forgive him for depriving them of a potential economic gas bonanza.
