(A7) A senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration rebuked the detractors of the agreement between Israel and Lebanon concerning the maritime borders between the two nations.
In a briefing to members of the media regarding the agreement on Tuesday, the senior official insisted that it was important for both Israel and Lebanon to take advantage of the “unexpected” breakthrough in the talks to make a deal. The official then added, “Many people have said over the past several days that better deals could have been done, for one side or the other, others claimed that they could have negotiated a better deal, from the region and the United States. They were in power, they did not reach a better deal, and when those so-called better terms, for either side were on the table they ended up not reaching an agreement.”
The official continued to explain that the agreement is not a “win-lose” agreement since the parties are not getting more than the other, because they get different things.
Throughout the briefing, the official repeatedly explained that the Lebanese side, which is going through economic hardships and an energy crisis, receives a new economic opportunity through the gas fields which it will gain in the deal. At the same time, the Israeli side, which already has a flourishing economy and multiple drilling platforms, receives peace and security.
Earlier Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement settling the maritime dispute.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid said: “This is an historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security, inject billions into Israel’s economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border.”
According to the announcement, the draft agreement meets all the security and economic principles laid out by Israel.
