S’exprimant ce mardi sur les ondes de la chaine de télévision Al Haddah, l’ancien secrétaire d’état adjoint en charge du Proche Orient David Schenker s’en est vivement pris à la fois au gouvernement libanais et au Hezbollah.
Abordant la question des négociations visant à délimiter les espaces maritimes et terrestres entre le Liban et Israël, ce dernier a ainsi estimé que Beyrouth est à l’origine de l’échec de ces pourparler “par des exigences paralysantes” après avoir été coopératif.
La partie libanaise a coopéré au début des négociations avec Israël, mais elle est revenue et s’est retirée et ses demandes étaient paralysantes pendant les négociations avec Israël
Pour rappel, ces discussions ont rapidement buté après que les autorités israéliennes, qui revendiquaient plus de 500 kilomètres carrés de la zone exclusive libanaise, refuseraient de discuter de la position libanaise revendiquant 1 430 kilomètres carrés supplémentaires en faveur de Beyrouth et au détriment de Tel Aviv.
L’ancien responsable américain s’en est également vivement pris au Hezbollah, décrit comme ne se souciant pas de l’intérêt de la population libanaise avant d’indiquer espérer que la nouvelle administration des Etats-Unis continuera à classer le mouvement chiite comme organisation terroriste. Il a par ailleurs accusé les autorités libanaises de négligence également dans le cadre de l’explosion du port de Beyrouth.
Focus: The delimitation of the economic zone between Lebanon and Israel
As a reminder, at the origin of this problem, the negotiations between Lebanon and Cyprus in 2011. The starting point of the zone was set arbitrarily by the 2 countries at point 1 of the borders.
Therefore, the Hebrew State has decided to continue the delimitation of its maritime borders at point 25 according to its measures which corresponds to point 1 for Lebanon.
However, Lebanon estimated from the start that the starting point of its economic exclusivity zone was at point 0, according to Beirut or 23, according to the Hebrew state and located 17 km south of point 1, fixed during negotiations. between Tel Aviv and Nicosia.
Thus is delimited a triangle going from point B1 located at Ras al Naqoura to point 0 then to point 1.
This area is claimed by the 2 states, Lebanon and Israel. It thus covers more than 800 square kilometers. Part of blocks 8, 9 and 10 are thus at the center of the controversy.
The situation was worsened by the discovery of a significant potential of gas and oil deposits in this area.
Lebanon says it has maps proving that the area belongs to it.
In addition, the Hoff line named after the American mediator who had already taken up the case in 2011 and which Beirut had already rejected, grants 560 square kilometers to Lebanon and the remainder to Tel Aviv.
In 2019, when negotiations looked like they could be relaunched between Lebanon and Israel, they came to a screeching halt for reasons hitherto unknown. The tension between the 2 countries has also increased with the discovery of tunnels crossing the blue line, the dividing line between the 2 countries.
On October 14, 2020, negotiations between Lebanon and Israel opened at UNIFIL HQ in Naqoura and in the presence of the American mediator, the United States Under Secretary of State, David Schenker, and under the auspices of the coordinator UN Special in Lebanon Jan Kubis.
Tel Aviv, announcing the existence of 2 islets in its territory – uninhabited islets – located not far from the Israeli coast would also have also extended its claims on the Lebanese blocs.
During the 3rd round of negotiations which took place on October 28, Lebanon thus hardened its position and informed the Israeli delegation about its new demands, expanding the exclusive maritime zone to 1,430 additional square kilometers to the detriment of Israel, by extending the land border with a straight line. This zone would include several gas fields already discovered and allocated by Israel to a Greek exploitation company. These Lebanese demands should therefore freeze the exploitation of these fields until an agreement is reached.
It is for Lebanon not to make any concessions on its maritime areas when Israel previously claimed part of them, note some sources, who expected that an agreement could be reached before the end of the year, granting all the original area to Lebanon.
In addition, on April 5, 2021, it is indicated that negotiations between the 2 countries could resume after the publication of a report stating the possible existence of a large gas field in the area even if this remains theoretical for the moment.
Indeed, for the moment, no progress has been noted on this subject, and no meeting is currently officially scheduled.
In addition, decree 6,433 was signed by the ministers of transport Michel Najjar, of defense Zeina Akkar and the outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab, in April 2021, while the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun has decided to suspend his signature pending the government meeting, which the Prime Minister refuses.
This decree formalizes the Lebanese position of enlarging its exclusive economic zone while on the Israeli side, we are preparing to launch an exploratory campaign in the zone.
