On the basis of German studies which indicated the presence of huge offshore oil and gas amounts, Lebanon and other regional countries decided to invest this game-changing fortune. However, the demarcation of the maritime borders among those countries has turned to be a key issue that may lead to major conflicts.
If we scrutinize Lebanon’s case, the political chaos among the local political parties in addition to the foreign pressures pushed the former prime minister Fuad Siniora to make unprecedented concessions in this regard.
Siniora unconstitutionally dispatched in 2007 an official to Cyprus in order to sign an agreement pertaining the maritime borders, admitting the map which claims that Lebanon’s maritime border is at Line 1 and conceding huge national resources.
In 2012, the US Special Envoy to Syria and Lebanon, Frederic Hof, proposed dividing the disputed area temporarily, giving Lebanon 490 more square kilometers. However, the Lebanese officials rejected that proposal which deprives Lebanon from most of its rights.
Then, a long negotiation occurred between Lebanon and the United States which was allegedly mediating a solution for the Lebanese-Zionist dispute before the Lebanese Army was tasked to engage in an indirect negotiation with the Israeli enemy.
The Lebanese Army prepared a complete proposal that reflects the official stance and secures Lebanon’s rights at Line 29 after the US-Zionist delegations insisted for a long time on imposing Line 23 which gives all Karish oil field to the Israeli occupiers.
In this regard, the Zionist negotiators relied on Tekhelet island, which is a mere rock that disappears during the winter season, to demarcate ‘Israel’ borders. However, according to a British map, issued by the British Hydrographic Center, Lebanon’s border is at Line 29, and Tekhelet can never be considered an Island.
Moreover, the demarcation of Lebanon’s border must start from the last territorial position in Ras Naqoura, not anyone else behind it. The following map shows how admitting the last territorial position secures more of Lebanon’s rights.
Thus, Lebanon has the right to obtain its portion of Karish filed which lies on both the Lebanese and Palestinian sides of the borders, and the Greek ship, Energean Power, does not have the right to operate in a disputable area.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasallah on Thursday stressed that the Lebanese Resistance party is committed to defend the country’s maritime wealth, warning that Israeli enemy that “all options are on table” in this regard.
In a televised speech via Al-Manar, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the Resistance is capable on several levels (militarily, logistically, security and individually) to prevent the Israeli enemy to extract gas and oil from the disputed zone.
His eminence said that the Greek firm operating the vessel which reached the disputed area in Karish is partner in the Israeli aggression on Lebanon’s maritime wealth, warning this firm that it is “fully responsible” for the fate of the vessel.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
