Preparations are underway to officially sign the sea border demarcation agreement between Lebanon and Israel, Qatar’s al-Arabi TV has reported.
“The agreement will be officially signed on October 20 in the border area of Ras al-Naqoura,” the TV network added, quoting unnamed sources.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil met Tuesday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and handed him a copy of a "presidential priorities" paper that had been announced last week by the FPM leader.
Bassil said that he will contact the parliamentary blocs to discuss with them the presidential paper.

Israel's prime minister said Tuesday that the country has reached an "historic agreement" with neighboring Lebanon over their shared maritime border after months of U.S.-brokered negotiations, potentially unlocking significant offshore gas production.
Premier Yair Lapid called the deal a "historic achievement that will strengthen Israel's security, inject billions into Israel's economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border."

Lebanon has secured its "full rights" in the latest text drafted by U.S. mediators to demarcate the maritime border with Israel, its lead negotiator said Tuesday, after Israel said it met its terms too.
"Lebanon has obtained its full rights, and all of its remarks have been taken into account," said lead negotiator Elias Bou Saab, the deputy speaker of parliament, after handing the draft to President Michel Aoun.

Both Lebanon and Israel have said that they are satisfied with a draft submitted overnight by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein and that the draft may lead to a "historic" sea border demarcation deal that will allow both sides to explore for huge reserves of gas off their Mediterranean coasts.
Hochstein submitted an initial set of proposed final terms to Israel and Lebanon earlier this month.

President Michel Aoun on Monday said he hopes for a gas deal with Israel to be reached within the "next few days."

Lebanon is inclined to agree in principle to the U.S. proposal regarding sea border demarcation with Israel, a Lebanese diplomatic source said.
The country will “link the final approval to the return of the Naqoura meetings, in which the documents will be formulated and the technical coordinates will be specified,” the source told Russia’s Sputnik news agency.

President Michel Aoun has received a phone call from U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who briefed him on the outcome of the latest round of talks with the Lebanese and Israeli sides, the Presidency said.
“Mr. Hochstein clarified that the discussion rounds have been concluded… and over the next few hours he will send a version that includes the final format of the proposal related to the demarcation of the southern maritime border,” the Presidency added.

London-listed firm Energean has begun testing pipes between Israel and the Karish offshore gas field, a key step towards production from the eastern Mediterranean site, a source of friction between Israel and Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has said that Israel would move ahead with plans to extract gas from the Karish field even if no deal is reached Lebanon, warning Hezbollah that any attack would meet a “resolute” response, the Times of Israel has reported.
“If Hezbollah makes that mistake and attacks Israel in any way, by air, sea or land, Israel will defend itself resolutely, it will attack resolutely, and if things develop into a broader conflict, we will take Lebanon apart, and that would be a great pity,” he told Channel 12, according to the Israeli newspaper.
