Sea border talks between Lebanon and Israel put off

International community ‘must play essential role in solving issue’

The fifth round of negotiations regarding the demarcation of the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel has been postponed until further notice.

This announcement came 48 hours prior to talks scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

Reuters had quoted a Lebanese security source and an Israeli official saying that “the US-mediated talks were postponed until further notice,” with the Lebanese source blaming the delay on “Israel’s rejection of Lebanese proposals.”

The office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis refused to comment on this move, as did the US Embassy in Beirut. Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz had accused Lebanon of “changing its position regarding the maritime borders demarcation seven times,” adding that its positions so far had been “provocative.” His comment came after the fourth round of negotiations, held on Nov. 11 at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon’s ( UNIFIL) headquarters in Ras AlNaqoura.

“Lebanon’s position during the fourth round of negotiations not only contradicts its previous positions, but also contradicts Lebanon’s position regarding the maritime borders with Syria, which takes the Lebanese island near the borders into consideration,” he added.

Steinitz also stressed the importance of “adhering to the principle of stability and settling the dispute according to what Israel and Lebanon had submitted to the United Nations. Any deviation from that principle will lead to a dead end,” he warned, hoping for a breakthrough in the upcoming few months. Middle East energy expert Marc Ayoub told Arab News: “The current suspension and postponement of the negotiations is for tactical reasons. Lebanon and Israel are clinging to their positions regarding the starting point of the maritime border demarcation. Lebanon wants it to be Ras

The current suspension and postponement of the negotiations is for tactical reasons.

Marc Ayoub

Middle East energy expert

Al-Naqoura, while Israel wants to go from unpopulated maritime ridges.”

He added: “What is happening is just a rope-pulling process between the two sides. I think that the international community has to play an essential role in solving this issue, as it can benefit from the UNIFIL forces and their equipment to resolve the dispute and identify the coordinates according to international law.”