Beirut: «Al-Khaleej» – Agencies
Lebanon is preparing to respond to the Israeli written comments on its proposals regarding the demarcation of the maritime borders, at a time when Tel Aviv indicated the continuation of negotiations to try to conclude an agreement, and signaled its readiness for the possibility of war, while the Lebanese banks decided unanimously to close their doors to customers “until further notice” following a series of Incidents of storming in Beirut and other governorates by depositors seeking to recover their frozen deposits in the banking system.
Lebanese sources confirmed that work on an agreement to demarcate borders is continuing with American mediation, and has moved from the stage of political negotiations to the stage of studying legal and technical vocabulary in a calm atmosphere far from tension.
Lebanon had submitted its comments on the American draft and Israel rejected it. These remarks are summarized in the fact that Lebanon does not accept that there should be a safe area under the control of Israel, and refuses to give up any space to establish a security area for Israel. It also refuses to include the idea of demarcating the land borders and will not negotiate its borders, but will work with the United Nations to define the parameters of its international borders, and this matter applies to the sea, as well as any attempt to link the work of Total with the agreement between it and Israel; Rather, he wants the company’s work to be related to his needs and for the direct company to be committed to the drilling and excavation work independently of any discussion between it and Israel, and Lebanon will not agree to an official celebration in Naqoura, as the Israelis want.
Meanwhile, Israeli media indicated, on Friday, that the administration of US President Joe Biden is putting pressure on Lebanon to retract some of its remarks.
Yesterday evening, the Israeli mini-ministerial council for security and political affairs discussed the American offer and opportunities for confrontation with Lebanon, and it ended without issuing a statement.
Yesterday, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an unnamed Israeli security source as saying that “Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s directives to the army to prepare to deal with a scenario of escalation in the northern region carry a message to Lebanon that failure to reach an agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders may lead to to the deterioration of the situation and even the outbreak of a military confrontation.”
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation stated that “the Israeli army has completed its readiness for such a scenario before the current crisis in this file arose.”
Despite the tone of the escalation, Israeli sources indicated that talks to try to reach an agreement are still continuing.
She added, “The American mediator, Amos Hochstein, is in direct contact with the Israeli and Lebanese sides.”
In the meantime, most Lebanese banks adhered to the decision to close following the Association of Banks called for a strike and the closure of all bank branches in Lebanon and only ATM service, due to the attacks once morest various bank branches.
The banks had unanimously decided to close their doors to customers indefinitely. A female banker told Archyde.com that the banks will continue their urgent operations for clients and back-office services for companies.
And last month, banks were closed for nearly a week, following incidents of break-ins carried out by frustrated depositors.
