Israel made concessions to Lebanon amid border dispute: Ex-official

By Abdelraouf Arnaout
JERUSALEM (AA) – A former Israeli military official said Tuesday that Tel Aviv had made “concessions” to Lebanon for reaching an agreement to demarcate their maritime border to avoid an escalation.

Amos Yadlin, the former head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Division, said Israel was showing flexibility regarding the disputed maritime border with its neighbor.

“We do not want Gaza in Lebanon, Israel does not want Lebanon to drown," he told Israeli radio 103FM.

He stressed that Israel has abandoned several points to help the Lebanese get out of the difficult situation they are in, without providing further details.

Yadlin noted that Israel should start producing gas from the Karish field.

"You can wait a few days, let's give the Americans several days, and I am ready to give them weeks, but not more than that," he said.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that production at the contested Karish gas field will begin soon.

Lebanon and Israel are locked in a dispute over a maritime area of 860 square kilometers (332 square miles), according to maps sent by both countries to the UN in 2011.

The area is rich in natural gas and oil. Starting in 2020, five sessions of indirect negotiations have been held on the issue under UN sponsorship and US mediation, with the latest round held in May 2021.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat