US President Confirms Maritime Agreement Reached, Congratulates Lebanese and Israeli Heads of State Today President Joe Biden announced the finalization of an agreement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon concerning the maritime boundary separating their respective exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region with energy resource prospects for both countries. [AP News]
New Cabinet Formation ‘Not in Deadlock’ Despite Continued Delays According to Naharnet, “The government formation efforts are not deadlocked and mediators are seeking a solution for the complications, al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted ‘credible political sources’ as saying . . . ‘The mediators do not rule out the possibility of the formation of a government within a few days, but they have set a timeframe for the success of their mission that ends on October 15 at the latest’.” [Naharnet]
Lebanese Ministry of Health Adopts Revised Public Health Strategy Amid Rising Cases of Cholera According to L’Orient Today, “[Dr. Atika Berry, head of the preventive medicine department at the Ministry of Health] said, ‘This strategy is based on three pillars without which no prevention is possible: Raising awareness of sanitary measures among the population, the permanent provision of unpolluted water to all households and finally the safe wastewater treatment and disposal’ . . . Thirty years after the last epidemic in 1993, fears are high that the disease will spread rapidly throughout the country, particularly in areas bordering Syria, in areas without access to clean drinking water, or not connected to sewage systems.” [L’Orient Today]
Head of Lebanon’s Higher Judicial Council Announces Boycott of Council Meeting Concerning Alternate Judge to Port Explosion Investigation According to L’Orient Today, “Higher Judicial Council head Soheil Abboud on Monday announced he would not attend a council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, due to what he called ‘political interferences.’ The HJC is scheduled to discuss on Tuesday the appointment of an alternate judge for the port blast investigation who would rule on ‘urgent matters’, [amid the current lead’s (Tarek Bitar) continued suspension from the case.]” [L’Orient Today]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
Rounding Up The News From Lebanon – From The Good To The Continued Drama Jean AbiNader
AbiNader writes, “Lebanon and Israel announced their acceptance of the meticulous drafted maritime boundary negotiations thanks to the Lebanese team headed by Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab and the diligent mediation work of US Special Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein. After a final week of headlines like “After collapse of Lebanon maritime deal, Israel fears Hezbollah attack,” followed by another round of the two-way finger-pointing that passes for negotiations in the region, a breakthrough finally emerged over the weekend. Both Lebanon and Israel took a long look at what’s best for regional prosperity and stability, stopped the saber-rattling and instead settled on a deal that benefits both countries. There are still parties in Israel that oppose the deal based on domestic politics while the parties in Lebanon decided that progress on this front had too many benefits to ignore. So a deal was made.”
The National Lebanon-Israel Maritime Deal Marks Historic Moment For Enemy Neighbours Joyce Karam
Karam writes, “The agreement will delineate the maritime border between Lebanon and its southern neighbour for the first time since Israel was established in 1948. The two nations are bitter foes and have fought several conflicts including via the militant group Hezbollah . . . Randa Slim, senior fellow and director of the Conflict Resolution and Track II Dialogues Programme at the Middle East Institute, pointed to the historic significance of the agreement. ‘This is the first such agreement between Lebanon and Israel since the aborted May 17 agreement in 1983,” Ms Slim told The National . . . ‘While many were alarmed by Hezbollah’s rhetoric and threat to use force against a disputed gas drilling platform in the Mediterranean Sea, the group is unlikely to waste its precision-guided missiles in a fight over hydrocarbon deposits,’ Ms Slim said . . . Globally, however, and as the international gas markets tighten, opening more exploration in the East Mediterranean is welcome news to the Europeans as they try to offset the impact of the Ukraine war and wean themselves off Russian gas.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.
