Lebanon signs maritime border deal with Israel

Lebanon hopes that demarcating maritime borders will pave the way for gas exploration to help lift it out of its crippling economic crisis.

Lebanon has signed a maritime border deal with Israel, a US-brokered agreement that paves the way for lucrative offshore gas extraction by the neighbours.

Deputy Speaker and chief Lebanese negotiator Elias Bou Saab told a press conference on Thursday that President Michel Aoun signed a letter relating to the demarcation of Lebanon’s southern maritime boundary.

He added that a Lebanese delegation will hand US mediator Amos Hochstein the letter signed by Aoun at UN headquarters in southern Lebanon.

He also said another letter will be sent to the UN by the Foreign Ministry.

‘Political achievement’

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, for his part, hailed the deal as a ?political achievement? for his country.

“The maritime deal is a political achievement for Israel as we don’t see an enemy state like Lebanon recognizing Israel in a written agreement every day,” he said on his official Twitter account. ReadMore