Biden Congratulates Israel, Lebanon Leaders on Maritime Border Demarcation Agreement
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden talks on the phone as he greets people during a campaign event Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Waukee, Iowa. 
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden has called the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to congratulate them on reaching an agreement on maritime border demarcation, a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Tuesday.”Earlier today, just a shot while ago, President Biden spoke with Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid and the President of Lebanon Michel Aoun and extended United States congratulations on reaching this milestone, and US commitment, and President Biden administration’s commitment to continue supporting both countries as move forward into implementation,” the official said.Earlier on Tuesday, Lapid announced that Israel has reached a historic agreement on maritime border demarcation with Lebanon. Lapid’s office said the draft agreement meets all the security and economic principles laid out by Israel and would be submitted for approval to the Security Cabinet and the government on Wednesday.
WorldIsrael Satisfied With Draft Border Demarcation Deal With Lebanon: Security Council Chief07:10 GMTThe deal was reached after intensive negotiations assisted by US mediator Amos Hochstein over the weekend and the Sukkot holiday.Lebanon is also content with the agreement given that all of its demands have been taken into account, according to the office of Lebanese President Michel Aoun.The negotiations on the demarcation of land and maritime borders have been ongoing since 1996 on the basis of a memorandum of understanding under United Nations auspices and US mediation. In June 2022, Israel urged the Lebanese authorities to speed up the talks. Israel called the Karish gas field its strategic asset and assured Lebanon of the absence of plans to produce gas in the disputed territory.
