Posted Monday, July 04, 2022 04:05 PM
Al-Madina News: The Lebanese Foreign Minister, Abdullah Bouhabib, announced that Hezbollah’s launch of drones towards the Karish oil field, took place outside the responsibility of the state and the diplomatic context.
This came in a press conference, Monday, following a meeting chaired by the caretaker government headed by Najib Mikati, at the government headquarters in central Beirut, according to a statement by the presidency.
The statement said, “The meeting touched upon the situation in the south, the issue of the three rallies that were launched in the vicinity of the disputed maritime area, and the reactions they provoked regarding the feasibility of this operation, which took place outside the framework of state responsibility and the diplomatic context.”
Bouhabib explained that “the ongoing negotiations, with the efforts of the American mediator, Amos Hochstein, have reached advanced stages.”
He pointed out that “Lebanon renews its support for the efforts of the American mediator to reach a solution that preserves all Lebanese rights with complete clarity, and the demand to speed up the pace of negotiations.”
He pointed out that “Lebanon is counting on the continuation of American efforts to support it and preserve its rights to its water wealth, and to restore its economic and social health.”
He stressed that “Lebanon considers that any action outside the framework of the state’s responsibility and the diplomatic context in which negotiations are taking place is unacceptable, and exposes the country to unnecessary risks.”
The minister renewed the demand to stop “the continuous Israeli violations of its sovereignty (Lebanon) by sea, land and air.”
And on Saturday, Hezbollah announced the launch of 3 unarmed drones towards the disputed area with Israel at the Karish field in the south of the country, to carry out “reconnaissance missions.”
For its part, the Israeli army announced that it had intercepted 3 drones over Israeli economic waters near the border with Lebanon, which it said belonged to Hezbollah.
On June 14, the Lebanese presidency announced that President Michel Aoun had presented the US mediator in the indirect negotiations, Amos Hochstein, in response to Washington’s proposal, which it submitted months ago, regarding the demarcation of the maritime border with Israel.
Negotiations between the two countries stopped in May 2021, following Israel’s rejection of a Lebanese proposal as “Line 29” as a negotiating line, and Beirut’s rejection of the Israeli line “No. 1” and “Hof Line”.
Hezbollah controls the southern Lebanon border area with Israel, and Beirut and Tel Aviv dispute over a sea area of 860 square kilometers rich in oil and gas.
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