Lebanon Set to Restore Disputed EEZ with Israel

Prime Minister Najib Miqati, who is scheduled to represent Lebanon at the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September, will reportedly discuss Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone with international officials.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Friday, Miqati will head to New York in the second half of September and is expected to tackle with U.N. leaders the dispute between Lebanon and Israel over a zone that consists of about 854 square kilometers and suspected energy reserves there that could generate billions of dollars.

One of the experts, who is informed about the matter, told As Safir newspaper that Lebanon has a “historical chance” to narrow the distance of the disputed Zone.

The expert confirmed media reports that said Lebanon was able to restore around 500 square kilometers of the maritime zone that it considers it to be within its EEZ, which was acknowledged during the tripartite meetings in al-Naqoura between Lebanese and Israeli officials under the auspices of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

According to the expert, Lebanon can prove its right to control the 500 square kilometers if the cabinet approves a report submitted by the Foreign Ministry over the matter.

However, AMAL movement and the Free Patriotic Movement are quarreling over the matter.

The FPM argues that there is no need to re-discuss Lebanon’s EEZ when the cabinet had previously resolved the matter but AMAL insists on the government to defend every inch of Lebanon’s rights in its EEZ.

The cabinet approved in September the proposed borders of Lebanon’s EEZ in the Mediterranean.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat expressed remorse over the handling of the natural resources off Lebanon’s shore.

“Every day that passes by and Lebanon doesn’t kick off the process to dig for its offshore wealth will affect the next generations, which will have a negative impact on the country’s economy,” Jumblat told An Nahar newspaper.

Concerning the appointment of the oil regulatory authority members, that AMAL and Hizbullah are allegedly having sharp differences on, Hizbullah’s Minister of Administrative Development Mohammed Fneish denied in comments published in As Safir that the two parties are bickering over the name of the Shiite candidate.

He called on the cabinet to swiftly appoint the members.

According to the daily the names of the candidates to the oil regulatory authority are: Baheej Abu Hamza, who is Druze, Nasser Hteit, a Shiite, Wissam Shbat, a Maronite, Wissam al-Zahabi, a Sunni, in addition to an Orthodox and a Catholic.