Lebanon, Israel clash over gas exploration

Lebanon, in full crisis mode, has rejected Israeli gas exploration in a disputed area in the Levant Basin. Israel has already signed a contract for exploration with Halliburton. This isn’t an end to negotiations over the disputed area. Rather, Lebanon objects to the fact that while UN-sponsored negotiations are still ongoing, Israel has jumped the gun by signing a contract with Halliburton. Lebanese president Michel Aoun said this week that all exploration would be frozen until there is a resolution on the disputed area. Negotiations began in the fourth quarter of 2020. The area in question is an 860sq km swath of the Mediterranean Sea (Zone #9). Negotiations are faltering at a time when Hezbollah is increasing its strength and trying to get the Iranians to explore for oil and gas offshore Lebanon

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