Tensions rise between Lebanon and Israel over maritime borders

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Speaker Nabih Berri told a U.N. diplomat that Lebanon is willing to use all the necessary means to “protect” the country from any Israeli attack. Meanwhile, an Israeli government spokesman accused Hizbullah of exploiting the issue of the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel in order to wage a war against the Jewish state.

Berri stressed during a meeting with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams that the UNIFIL can play a role in the demarcation of the disputed maritime borders with Israel “unless the navy forces of the UNIFIL are only found to monitor our regional waters and shores.”

As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday that Williams was insisting on his stance during the discussion, saying that the “U.N. isn’t specialized in demarcating any maritime border, and the two disputed countries have to negotiate” over the issue.

The Israel official added that Hizbullah is labeling this matter as “the maritime Shebaa Farms,” noting that it is a strictly political affair, which the party is employing for its interests.

Tel Aviv is seeking to resolve this matter through direct negotiations with Lebanon, which has refused this proposal, he continued. It has rejected this idea ever since Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, the Israeli official remarked.

The land borders were demarcated then, but not the maritime ones because the Lebanese government at the time refused to do so it and it is still rejecting all direct and indirect contact with Israel, said the spokesman.

Negotiations are the best manner to solve this issue and if Lebanon maintains its position, then the matter should be addressed before the United Nations, but international law stipulates that the two concerned countries must resolve the dispute themselves, he concluded.

Offshore oil and gas have been found in the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to the Lebanese and Israeli coasts and a dispute has erupted between the two sides over the lack of maritime borders designating the areas the two countries have authority to explore.

Naharnet

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30 responses to “Tensions rise between Lebanon and Israel over maritime borders”

  1. shankarees Avatar
    shankarees

    Yalla, send Hizballa to liberate the territorial waters.  It is prime time for them to do what they claim they are there for.  Meanwhile, we will pray for a mighty stormy to rid us of them in the process.

    1. Mosetsfire Avatar
      Mosetsfire

      I would love to send Hezbollah into the ocean. permanently.

      1. why what did them poor fish do to you they will be all poisoned or they will come out and try to visit coms

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          I think there is a larger question about wether to have pipelines to blow up in the ocean and foul the beaches, or windmills and solar-panels to blow up on the mountains to simply cut power. Having gotten used to little electricity anyway, and investing heavily in the candle-making business, I’d go for at least keeping the beaches clean.

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Yalla, send Hizballa to liberate the territorial waters.  It is prime time for them to do what they claim they are there for.  Meanwhile, we will pray for a mighty stormy to rid us of them in the process.

    1. I would love to send Hezbollah into the ocean. permanently.

      1. why what did them poor fish do to you they will be all poisoned or they will come out and try to visit coms

        1.  Avatar
          Anonymous

          I think there is a larger question about wether to have pipelines to blow up in the ocean and foul the beaches, or windmills and solar-panels to blow up on the mountains to simply cut power. Having gotten used to little electricity anyway, and investing heavily in the candle-making business, I’d go for at least keeping the beaches clean.

  3. libnan1 Avatar

    Thousands of years of eating Foul created so much gas…. unbelievable !!!!
     

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thousands of years of eating Foul created so much gas…. unbelievable !!!!
     

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thousands of years of eating Foul created so much gas…. unbelievable !!!!
     

  6. Patience2 Avatar
    Patience2

    Get the UN to do something for a change, demarcate the marine borders!  Between Egypt and Lebanon, all the Fool should ‘smog’ Israel right out of business even if it doesn’t meet their energy needs.

  7.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Get the UN to do something for a change, demarcate the marine borders!  Between Egypt and Lebanon, all the Fool should ‘smog’ Israel right out of business even if it doesn’t meet their energy needs.

  8.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Get the UN to do something for a change, demarcate the marine borders!  Between Egypt and Lebanon, all the Fool should ‘smog’ Israel right out of business even if it doesn’t meet their energy needs.

  9. Sebouh80 Avatar
    Sebouh80

    With all due respect to all the viewers opinions, but this is a pure bull shit story designed to distract the public from other real problems.

    I hope you know what I’m talking about guys……..

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yes …
      Of course it is …

  10.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    With all due respect to all the viewers opinions, but this is a pure bull shit story designed to distract the public from other real problems.

    I hope you know what I’m talking about guys……..

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Yes …
      Of course it is …

  11. what a speaker we have his been there for donkeys he worth then kazafe and did nothing for the country he;s only talking cos he will not get a penny of the gas let hope you do something stupid and this time is gonna be the end 

  12. what a speaker we have his been there for donkeys he worth then kazafe and did nothing for the country he;s only talking cos he will not get a penny of the gas let hope you do something stupid and this time is gonna be the end 

  13. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
    Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

    For the love of G-d, come and sit down and we’ll negotiate the boundaries. We’ll even give you some extra.  

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      They can’t even split God up right …

  14. For the love of G-d, come and sit down and we’ll negotiate the boundaries. We’ll even give you some extra.  

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      They can’t even split God up right …

  15.  That map is not even helpful . According to the map that I have seen the maritime borders that Israel submitted (which coincide with the original ones of the mandate era) and even the newly proposed ones by Lebanon do not include not even a corner of one of the two off-shore gas and oil fields.  It is, unfortunately, wishful thinking or simply Hezb’ullah’s excuse for its continued salaries (and existence) from Iran and Syria.

    Even if it did touch a corner of a field according to international law it belongs to the country that paid for the exploration and researched the discovery.  So Lebanon is too late. Hezb’ullah should instead of concentratng on war, repression and aggression concentrate on the welfare of Lebanese.

    Despite international law, I believe that the Israelis would even share some of the deposits with Lebanon, IF Lebanon would act like a good neighbor and make a peace treaty  (as long as the Hezzies are there, we can kiss that goodbye).

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      The yellow line is the ‘field’ – both countries could drill on land (at least first) and not pollute the Med. more … Cyprus gets the most in the ocean, but it looks like Syria has the least … hmmm … 😉

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      The yellow line is the ‘field’ – both countries could drill on land (at least first) and not pollute the Med. more … Cyprus gets the most in the ocean, but it looks like Syria has the least … hmmm … 😉

  16.  That map is not even helpful . According to the map that I have seen the maritime borders that Israel submitted (which coincide with the original ones of the mandate era) and even the newly proposed ones by Lebanon do not include not even a corner of one of the two off-shore gas and oil fields.  It is, unfortunately, wishful thinking or simply Hezb’ullah’s excuse for its continued salaries (and existence) from Iran and Syria.

    Even if it did touch a corner of a field according to international law it belongs to the country that paid for the exploration and researched the discovery.  So Lebanon is too late. Hezb’ullah should instead of concentratng on war, repression and aggression concentrate on the welfare of Lebanese.

    Despite international law, I believe that the Israelis would even share some of the deposits with Lebanon, IF Lebanon would act like a good neighbor and make a peace treaty  (as long as the Hezzies are there, we can kiss that goodbye).

  17.  That map is not even helpful . According to the map that I have seen the maritime borders that Israel submitted (which coincide with the original ones of the mandate era) and even the newly proposed ones by Lebanon do not include not even a corner of one of the two off-shore gas and oil fields.  It is, unfortunately, wishful thinking or simply Hezb’ullah’s excuse for its continued salaries (and existence) from Iran and Syria.

    Even if it did touch a corner of a field according to international law it belongs to the country that paid for the exploration and researched the discovery.  So Lebanon is too late. Hezb’ullah should instead of concentratng on war, repression and aggression concentrate on the welfare of Lebanese.

    Despite international law, I believe that the Israelis would even share some of the deposits with Lebanon, IF Lebanon would act like a good neighbor and make a peace treaty  (as long as the Hezzies are there, we can kiss that goodbye).

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      The yellow line is the ‘field’ – both countries could drill on land (at least first) and not pollute the Med. more … Cyprus gets the most in the ocean, but it looks like Syria has the least … hmmm … 😉

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