According to the L’Orient Today, “Lebanon has just received some of the fuel required for Electricité du Liban to run its power plants. This shipment was originally scheduled to be delivered in August under an agreement inked in July 2021 with Iraq, which now represents the state power provider’s only source of fuel. A 30,000-ton gasoil shipment is expected to ensure around three hours of state power supply per day, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayad told al-Mayadeen TV channel on Wednesday evening.” [L‘Orient Today]
Next Wave Of Syrian Repatriation Scheduled For Next Week
According to L’Orient, “Caretaker Minister of Social Affairs, Hector Al-Hajjar said Thursday morning that a ‘second batch’ of Syrian refugees will leave Lebanon next week, Thursday during a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail, the state-run National News Agency reported. Hajjar said that ‘the first batch of Syrian refugees that left Lebanon yesterday included about 750 people, and these numbers are encouraging.'”[L’orientToday]
US President Biden Commends Historic Maritime Deal Achievement
According to Naharnet, “Lebanon and Israel formally concluded a ‘historic”‘ maritime border deal on Thursday in the presence of U.S. officials, U.S. President Joe Biden said.’Both parties took the final steps to bring the agreement into force and submitted the final paperwork to the United Nations in the presence of the United States,’ Biden said in a statement.” [Naharnet]
Hanin Ghaddar writes, “The maritime border demarcation agreement between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the US under the auspices of the UN, reached its final official stage on Thursday, with both sides unilaterally signing the proposal without any contact between them at the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon in Naqoura. Lebanon handed over a copy of the agreement to US mediator Amos Hochstein, signed and approved by President Michel Aoun. Another copy was handed over to the UN, represented by its Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka. French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo was also present in Naqoura.”
Texas National Security Review How To Make The Most Of The Israeli-Lebanese Maritime Deal Hanin Ghaddar
Hanin Ghaddar writes, “After years of stalling and hedging, a major economic collapse in Lebanon, multiple unstable governments in Israel, and threats of violence, the United States has successfully brokered a maritime border agreement between Beirut and Jerusalem. War has been averted, and everyone is happy. At least for now.”
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.
