While the US renews its offer to help solve the maritime border dispute between Lebanon andIsrael, Israel prepares to seek a UN opinion on its Mediterranean maritime borders with Lebanon. The dispute is over an 850 square kilometer offshore border area that could potentially be highly rich in gas resources. The U.S. stressed on the country’s willingness to assist Lebanon in solving its maritime border conflict with its neighbour and praised Lebanon’s efforts to put in place appropriate regulations that would ensure transparent and fair procedures related to its energy sector.
The conflict however regained topicality when Israel discovered a gas field close to the disputed area. Only a couple of weeks ago did Lebanese caretaker minister of water andenergy Gebran Bassil express his concern over Israel reaching Lebanon’s gas reserves. Bassil urged the caretaker government to take the necessary measures that would enable Lebanon to issue the pieces of legislation that would enable it to award exploration contracts. Israel’s discovery of the Karish well in the Alon license in proximity of Lebanon’s EEZ (only 4 km from the Lebanese coast) raised Bassil’s concerns that Lebanon’s gas could be in danger.