Lebanon warns UN: Israel’s proposed sea border threatens peace

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Lebanon warned the United Nations that Israel’s proposed sea border threatens peace and security, as tensions rise between the neighbours over offshore oil and gas reserves.

“Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur has sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rejecting geographic coordinates Israel submitted to the United Nations concerning the northern part of the waters it claims,” said the ministry.

It said in a statement that the Israeli claim “infringes on Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone,” a sea zone that gives a state the right to explore its maritime resources.

“This is a clear violation of Lebanon’s rights… over an area of some 860 square kilometres, and puts international peace and security at risk,” it said, adding, “We urge the secretary general to take all necessary measures to avoid conflict.”

Lebanon and Israel, which remain technically at war, locked horns over the maritime border after the discovery of potential offshore energy reserves.

The Israeli cabinet in July approved a map and submitted it to the United Nations, which has been asked to mediate the growing conflict.

The Israeli map conflicts with Lebanon’s proposed borders, which give the Jewish state less territorial waters and was submitted to the United Nations last year.

Beirut argues its map is in line with an armistice accord drawn up in 1949, an agreement which is not contested by Israel.

Israel — has for months been moving to develop several large offshore natural gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean, some of which are shared with Cyprus.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah-dominated government has meanwhile warned Beirut will not give up its maritime rights and accuses Israel of violating Lebanese waters, territory and airspace.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah fought a deadly war with Israel in 2006 which destroyed much of Lebanon’s major infrastructure and killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mainly soldiers.

AFP/ KT

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34 responses to “Lebanon warns UN: Israel’s proposed sea border threatens peace”

  1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
    Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

    Why threaten???? We’d love to sit and negotiate.

    1. adam i dont allways agree with you but i think you are sincere and i am glad that you  contribute to this forum.
      i agree with you that everything is negotiable and the bottom line is that the core of the problem is between you and the palestinians, as far as i am concerned the majority of spectators dont give a crap about palestinians and are simply opportunists seeking their own intrest, having said the above what would you propose or do if you became prime minister of israel tomorrow?

      1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
        Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

        Well firstly, it’s good to see the number of logical Lebanese who can see beyond the propaganda, rising.  Regarding Lebanon and Israel, I would say that it is a difficult situation for both countries due to the fact that Lebanon’s polarization has caused its diminished sovereignty. It’s diminished sovereignty causes problems for Israel’s security and makes it difficult for Lebanon to be able to independently seek peace. If it were up to me, I would offer Lebanon a promise that it will be #1 priority in solving the situation of its own Palestinian population and express that Israel understands the unique position of Lebanon in the Arabic speaking world vis a vis the Palestinians. I really don’t see any other problem with petty border disputes between Israel and Lebanon as they’re all just an excuse for belligerence. I don’t believe that the Sheba Farms was Lebanese before 1967 but I would give it to Lebanon if it would help. I’d happily share any resources with Lebanon.

        Regarding the Palestinians, there are a number of problems. The Palestinians need passports, they need a place to call home. Israel needs certain borders for its own security, it needs Jewish holy sites protected and finally, no one should have to be moved from his/her home, be they Jew or Arab.  When people bring Jordan into the equation, it is often a ploy or deemed to be a ploy, to expel or transfer the population of the West Bank. I do not support that. However, more than half of that country’s population is Palestinian. The majority of the rest of the population speak the same dialect, have the same religion, culture, political history, kinship etc. It is a country under minority Hejazi and Bedouin rule which will end one day. What is necessary is that it ends before a new situation with Israel and the Palestinians takes shape. I believe that Jordan must become a representative country. I believe that Gaza must become an exclave of Jordan. I believe that the border between Israel and Jordan should be within the West Bank somewhere and that anyone who is on either side of that border should get full rights in the country that he is in. I believe that the Palestinians who live outside of the area should be allowed to move to within Jordan’s new borders. I believe that we should all be lobbying for this to take place, rather than prolonging the British/American Hashimite imperial base, at the expense of regional stability and sustainability.

        1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
          Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

           Additionally, Israel cannot annex the West Bank in its entirety as that would cause a number of problems and nor can it give it away in its entirety. 

        2. thanks adam, there is no better substitute for dialogue and reason .the circustances are very complex and often discouraging but can only hope that people consider altrrnatives to status quo.  a lot of effort has been made for peace summits and peace deals and the silver bullet to kill the effort has been  a terrorist attack somewhere to poison the mood  and provoke a reaction form israel which i blame rogue palastenian for however help me understand why israel did not halt settlement and construction during the last round of efforts? correct me if i am wrong but to me it seemed like the construction was the deal breaker and israel  did not see the value in halting it almost making them just as guilty as the ones shooting rockets form gaza during peace talks. again i dont know it just appeared that way.

        3. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
          Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

           Why should ‘settlements’ be a problem? In any other case in the world, their population would be considered through the framework of an ethnic minority in the new state but in this case, everyone says that they should be ethnically cleansed for their own safety. All this does is show that the Palestinians aren’t ready for democracy cause they can’t safeguard a minority and the Christians will suffer as well in their future state. It will send a message to the Arab world that they will be rewarded for not protecting minorities and don’t need to fulfill that essential part of democracy. It will set democracy back hundreds of years in the region. Secondly, Israel did freeze construction 100% within areas under Israeli military rule. Israel does not, and has never, considered any of Jerusalem to be a part of that issue. Jerusalem wasn’t even mentioned in the Oslo accords in that context, it was only mentioned to ban PA activity in the city. Jerusalem is 64% Jewish and the entire city is under civilian jurisdiction. We don’t consider that the city has anything to do with the ‘settlements’. Settlements are what they are because they are built in a military ruled no-man’s land which surrounds Palestinian Authority areas. People want to give the Palestinians a state before they are ready to stop demonizing and start protecting the Jewish residents (Regardless of the opinions of Jewish residents. Right to residence shouldn’t be based on political views for them any more than it should for Israeli Arabs). Because of this, and because no one is pressuring Jordan to be involved, it is upon Israel to make the most ‘viable’ state possible, entirely West of the Jordan river, for the first time ever. In creating a new country out of nothing, we have to link the areas in this no-man’s land with each other, where Palestinians live, and that will be difficult without giving them also, some areas where Israelis live. However, they have nothing as a collective and have never had anything as a collective but they are demanding everything, including things that they know that we cannot ever possibly give them. They would rather remain belligerent forever and live in this situation than to compromise. This UN vote is about getting everything we’ve offered them, without giving anything and whilst remaining at war.

        4. leobetapar Avatar

          waoooh conpetition for the bigger lie end: you win it.By the way have you verified that’s Adolph Hitler is the son of the doctor Hitler who shaked hand with Herzl and have been writen off the will of his father ,himself great son of rabbi S.Hitler of the Guemarra who write about the importance of the details.You have the pic in the number 4 of the Internationales Zioniste Review edited in vienna in 189?.Make verifications and after i will presented you Himmler,Mengele and plenty others.Regards

        5. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
          Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

          leobetapar I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about but I doubt that you can provide a single shred of evidence for your ramblings. Additionally, I would add that the regime in Iraq had a pro Nazi coup and Amin al Husseini, leader of the Palestinian Arabs, actively supported the Holocaust and was a friend of Eichmann and Hitler. He lived out the remainder of his days in………..Lebanon.

      2. leobetapar Avatar

        have you ever since the zioniaste negotiate lie lie and lie See the turkish its closest ally the zioniaste try to ridiculise him

  2. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
    Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

    Why threaten???? We’d love to sit and negotiate.

    1. adam i dont allways agree with you but i think you are sincere and i am glad that you  contribute to this forum.
      i agree with you that everything is negotiable and the bottom line is that the core of the problem is between you and the palestinians, as far as i am concerned the majority of spectators dont give a crap about palestinians and are simply opportunists seeking their own intrest, having said the above what would you propose or do if you became prime minister of israel tomorrow?

      1. leobetapar Avatar

        have you ever since the zioniaste negotiate lie lie and lie See the turkish its closest ally the zioniaste try to ridiculise him

  3. Why threaten???? We’d love to sit and negotiate.

    1. adam i dont allways agree with you but i think you are sincere and i am glad that you  contribute to this forum.
      i agree with you that everything is negotiable and the bottom line is that the core of the problem is between you and the palestinians, as far as i am concerned the majority of spectators dont give a crap about palestinians and are simply opportunists seeking their own intrest, having said the above what would you propose or do if you became prime minister of israel tomorrow?

      1. Well firstly, it’s good to see the number of logical Lebanese who can see beyond the propaganda, rising.  Regarding Lebanon and Israel, I would say that it is a difficult situation for both countries due to the fact that Lebanon’s polarization has caused its diminished sovereignty. It’s diminished sovereignty causes problems for Israel’s security and makes it difficult for Lebanon to be able to independently seek peace. If it were up to me, I would offer Lebanon a promise that it will be #1 priority in solving the situation of its own Palestinian population and express that Israel understands the unique position of Lebanon in the Arabic speaking world vis a vis the Palestinians. I really don’t see any other problem with petty border disputes between Israel and Lebanon as they’re all just an excuse for belligerence. I don’t believe that the Sheba Farms was Lebanese before 1967 but I would give it to Lebanon if it would help. I’d happily share any resources with Lebanon.

        Regarding the Palestinians, there are a number of problems. The Palestinians need passports, they need a place to call home. Israel needs certain borders for its own security, it needs Jewish holy sites protected and finally, no one should have to be moved from his/her home, be they Jew or Arab.  When people bring Jordan into the equation, it is often a ploy or deemed to be a ploy, to expel or transfer the population of the West Bank. I do not support that. However, more than half of that country’s population is Palestinian. The majority of the rest of the population speak the same dialect, have the same religion, culture, political history, kinship etc. It is a country under minority Hejazi and Bedouin rule which will end one day. What is necessary is that it ends before a new situation with Israel and the Palestinians takes shape. I believe that Jordan must become a representative country. I believe that Gaza must become an exclave of Jordan. I believe that the border between Israel and Jordan should be within the West Bank somewhere and that anyone who is on either side of that border should get full rights in the country that he is in. I believe that the Palestinians who live outside of the area should be allowed to move to within Jordan’s new borders. I believe that we should all be lobbying for this to take place, rather than prolonging the British/American Hashimite imperial base, at the expense of regional stability and sustainability.

        1.  Additionally, Israel cannot annex the West Bank in its entirety as that would cause a number of problems and nor can it give it away in its entirety. 

        2. thanks adam, there is no better substitute for dialogue and reason .the circustances are very complex and often discouraging but can only hope that people consider altrrnatives to status quo.  a lot of effort has been made for peace summits and peace deals and the silver bullet to kill the effort has been  a terrorist attack somewhere to poison the mood  and provoke a reaction form israel which i blame rogue palastenian for however help me understand why israel did not halt settlement and construction during the last round of efforts? correct me if i am wrong but to me it seemed like the construction was the deal breaker and israel  did not see the value in halting it almost making them just as guilty as the ones shooting rockets form gaza during peace talks. again i dont know it just appeared that way.

        3.  Why should ‘settlements’ be a problem? In any other case in the world, their population would be considered through the framework of an ethnic minority in the new state but in this case, everyone says that they should be ethnically cleansed for their own safety. All this does is show that the Palestinians aren’t ready for democracy cause they can’t safeguard a minority and the Christians will suffer as well in their future state. It will send a message to the Arab world that they will be rewarded for not protecting minorities and don’t need to fulfill that essential part of democracy. It will set democracy back hundreds of years in the region. Secondly, Israel did freeze construction 100% within areas under Israeli military rule. Israel does not, and has never, considered any of Jerusalem to be a part of that issue. Jerusalem wasn’t even mentioned in the Oslo accords in that context, it was only mentioned to ban PA activity in the city. Jerusalem is 64% Jewish and the entire city is under civilian jurisdiction. We don’t consider that the city has anything to do with the ‘settlements’. Settlements are what they are because they are built in a military ruled no-man’s land which surrounds Palestinian Authority areas. People want to give the Palestinians a state before they are ready to stop demonizing and start protecting the Jewish residents (Regardless of the opinions of Jewish residents. Right to residence shouldn’t be based on political views for them any more than it should for Israeli Arabs). Because of this, and because no one is pressuring Jordan to be involved, it is upon Israel to make the most ‘viable’ state possible, entirely West of the Jordan river, for the first time ever. In creating a new country out of nothing, we have to link the areas in this no-man’s land with each other, where Palestinians live, and that will be difficult without giving them also, some areas where Israelis live. However, they have nothing as a collective and have never had anything as a collective but they are demanding everything, including things that they know that we cannot ever possibly give them. They would rather remain belligerent forever and live in this situation than to compromise. This UN vote is about getting everything we’ve offered them, without giving anything and whilst remaining at war.

        4.  Avatar

          waoooh conpetition for the bigger lie end: you win it.By the way have you verified that’s Adolph Hitler is the son of the doctor Hitler who shaked hand with Herzl and have been writen off the will of his father ,himself great son of rabbi S.Hitler of the Guemarra who write about the importance of the details.You have the pic in the number 4 of the Internationales Zioniste Review edited in vienna in 189?.Make verifications and after i will presented you Himmler,Mengele and plenty others.Regards

        5. leobetapar I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about but I doubt that you can provide a single shred of evidence for your ramblings. Additionally, I would add that the regime in Iraq had a pro Nazi coup and Amin al Husseini, leader of the Palestinian Arabs, actively supported the Holocaust and was a friend of Eichmann and Hitler. He lived out the remainder of his days in………..Lebanon.

        6. leobetapar I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about but I doubt that you can provide a single shred of evidence for your ramblings. Additionally, I would add that the regime in Iraq had a pro Nazi coup and Amin al Husseini, leader of the Palestinian Arabs, actively supported the Holocaust and was a friend of Eichmann and Hitler. He lived out the remainder of his days in………..Lebanon.

      2.  Avatar

        have you ever since the zioniaste negotiate lie lie and lie See the turkish its closest ally the zioniaste try to ridiculise him

  4. 5thDrawer Avatar

    I’m sure the UN didn’t need a ‘warning’. They have some experience with the weird ones … who want to turn the place into another polluted Nigeria where the gov’t skims 70% of the profits and nothing goes to the people.

  5.  Avatar

    I’m sure the UN didn’t need a ‘warning’. They have some experience with the weird ones … who want to turn the place into another polluted Nigeria where the gov’t skims 70% of the profits and nothing goes to the people.

    1.  Avatar

      yeah and your government doesn’t skim your money they sell you to the ahl shitty of riyyad better to be poor than slave of shit

      1.  Avatar

        I see Leo is back. 🙂 When one is both poor and a slave, you might as well stand on a street and be a target for the slave-master, right? Simple logic …

        1.  Avatar

          no no and no you do as the shia or as the real christian Aoun better poor and free to worship the only king (GOD) rather than rich and slave

        2.  Avatar

          no no and no you do as the shia or as the real christian Aoun better poor and free to worship the only king (GOD) rather than rich and slave

        3.  Avatar

          no no and no you do as the shia or as the real christian Aoun better poor and free to worship the only king (GOD) rather than rich and slave

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