Caretaker minister Gebran Bassil warned that Lebanon should not delay its activities further as Israel could be ‘stealing’ its gas
Two crucial decrees - one demarcating the 10 maritime exploration blocks and the second establishing a revenue-sharing model - must be passed before Lebanon can award any oil and gas contract for offshore exploration in its EEZ. The decrees fall under the power of the Lebanese cabinet. Under normal circumstances, the current caretaker government is not empowered to issue such pieces of legislation unless its prerogatives are extended by a joint decision of the Lebanese president and the speaker of the Parliament.
On Friday 5 July, Lebanese caretaker minister of water and energy Gebran Bassil urged the caretaker government to seek such a permission and speed the process of issuing the two decrees to ensure that Lebanon kicks off its exploration phase and commits to its ambitious schedule.