Bassil Hits Back at Israel, Asks It to Sign U.N. Law of Sea Treaty
In response to the Israeli cabinet’s approval on Sunday of a map of the Jewish state's proposed maritime borders with Lebanon, which conflicts significantly with those proposed by Lebanon in its own submission to the U.N., Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil said Lebanon had demarcated its maritime borders according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, calling on Israel to “sign this convention before speaking about international laws.”
Commenting on the Israeli cabinet’s announcement that it will soon present the map of its maritime economic zone located between Lebanon and Cyprus for a U.N. opinion, Bassil told Agence France Presse: “We don’t have a presupposition. Let’s see what will Israel send to the U.N. Should it respect international law, there will be no problem.”
Bassil noted, however, that the Israeli remarks might be “a prelude to a breach, as has always been the case with Israel and its violation of our sea, water, sky and territory – and now of our oil rights,” adding that the Jewish state has rarely respected international treaties.
The minister clarified that Lebanon had “demarcated its borders according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and sent the map to the U.N.” last year.
“This treaty mentions how borders should be demarcated, and Lebanon is a signatory of this treaty, while Israel has yet to sign it. Israel must respect international law, not through words but rather through joining this treaty and signing it like Lebanon did, or else let it shut up and stop talking about international laws,” Bassil added.
Asked about Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s remarks that “Lebanon, under pressure from Hizbullah, is looking for friction,” Bassil said that any Israeli breach concerns “entire Lebanon, not only Hizbullah,” adding that “no Lebanese accepts to relinquish oil or maritime right.”
The minister said that the companies cooperating with Israel in the field of oil and gas excavation “must realize that the investment atmosphere in the region and the Mediterranean … will become turbulent should any breach of our rights occur.”
“In that case, not only Lebanon’s interests will be harmed, but also the interests of Israel, Cyprus and these companies. But if we all respect international law, all our interests will be preserved and we will have a suitable and stable investment atmosphere,” Bassil noted.
“Either we all get the chance to benefit from our oil wealth and resources, or we will all be at risk,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the Israeli cabinet “today approved the draft of the northern maritime border of Israel."
"This line demarcates the area of the state's economic rights, including the exploitation of natural resources."
Israel's map could bring it into fresh conflict with Lebanon, with both countries disagreeing on where the border lies.
"The outline that Lebanon submitted to the U.N. is significantly further south than the line Israel is proposing," Netanyahu said at the meeting.
"It also conflicts with the line that we have agreed upon with Cyprus and, what is more significant in my eyes, it conflicts with the line that Lebanon itself agreed upon with Cyprus in 2007."
"Our goal is to determine Israel's position regarding its maritime border, in keeping with the principles of international maritime law," Netanyahu said.
Israel has been moving to develop several large offshore natural gas fields in the Mediterranean that it hopes could help it to become an energy exporter.
But its development plans have stirred controversy with Lebanon, which argues the gas fields lie inside its territorial waters. Israel does not have officially demarcated maritime borders with Lebanon, and the two countries remain technically at war.
Lieberman said Israel was convinced it would win support for its position at the United Nations.
"We will soon be presenting the United Nations headquarters in New York with our position on our maritime borders," Lieberman told Israeli public radio.
"We have already concluded an agreement on this issue with Cyprus ... Lebanon, under pressure from Hizbullah, is looking for friction, but we will not give up any part of what is rightfully ours," he added.
The two biggest known offshore fields, Tamar and Leviathan, lie off Israel's northern city of Haifa.
Tamar is believed to hold at least 8.4 trillion cubic feet of gas (238 billion cubic meters), while Leviathan is believed to have reserves of 16 trillion cubic feet (450 billion cubic meters).
In recent weeks, an Israeli company has also announced the discovery of two new natural gas fields, Sarah and Mira, around 70 kilometers off the city of Hadera further south.
almost 13 years
Yalla Gebrane , let's sign peace with Israel and share that Oil and Gaz with them and stay far from the Arabs ..that are full of problems hate and racism ..
almost 13 years
Le phenicien, are u suggesting peace with ISRAEL! What hit you on the head man?
TRAITOR ,3amil, 3adou, makhrou2, mindass! MOSSADDD Le phenicien!
walaw man how can you suggest even peace with Israel!
lol this is how you talk to us, you fel in your own trap!
P.s do you mean you wanna get rid of nassrallah ??? how can you sign peace for the gas, walaw what about el moukawame, we el bla bla wil 3akide we iran we syria!
come on LE PHENICIEN, i am shocked!
almost 13 years
But fellow Shiite Le Fini what Sayyed Hassin GMA's boss would do?
almost 13 years
jabal as Le Phenicien says
The boss of GMA will come to Rabbieh for lessons in opposition and democracy! :)
almost 13 years
@ Sasi ,
El Moukawamé is against the Salafis and Wahhabies , not against Israel . Hariri knows that , that's why he is hiding in Paris .
We will not let YOU negociate OIl & GAS deal or touch it .. Let this be clear to all of YOU .
almost 13 years
Why is Bassil doing this? Doesn't he know that Hariri Mafia & Co., SARL and his Christian Sunnis have not had enough with him? Is he out of his mind in doing what shall move Lebanon forward towards a BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE? The only Future he shall work towards is Al Mustaqbal al mrett 3ala ashkal afrado.
almost 13 years
good one fellow shiite bro finicien still trying to pass for a christian, i especially like the crazy christian nationalist from the 70's routine impersonation of hezbollah enemy #1 etienne sakr very effective but the imam is not impressed he does not like this even as a joke so beware when u come to the husseiniya see u then
almost 13 years
El Moukawamé and Salafis Wahhabies Hamas are brothers in arms and in ideology look
"I expect our Christian neighbors to understand the new Hamas rule means real changes. They must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza."
If you close your eyes you'd thing it's Sayyed Hassan talking about the new government and real changes in Lebanon. in fact it already started in Nabatieh.
almost 13 years
I do not understand why some lebanese Christians think that israel is their friend. The jews do not care about any one but themselves. There they are stealing the lebanese gaz and oil . Hittler was absolutly right . he should have killed them all. They are the cause of all the wars in the middle east.
I am a Christian Lebanese American and i wish someone will destroy Israel once and for all. so lebanon can have peace. To all the christian lebanese on here who think israel is their friends i wish them to wake up and think twice. el yahoudi killed christ why should he care about you? nothing is free from the yahoudi. Lebanon wont have peace as long as israel exists. go back and look at the history. Long live Lebanon and may God destroy Israel.
almost 13 years
now not only there are domestic traitors and zionist agents on this site, there are zionists who openly put their flag and now admit they are shitting from temporary occupied palestine, and what is an nahar doing about it? nothing. amazing.
almost 13 years
So Kermit wants to go to the UN now I thought it was Zionist
almost 13 years
Let us see some maps of the lines. It's simple... Under international law a nation can claim 200n miles from shore an exclusive economic zone. If countries are less than 400 miles apart then equal distance to the nearest shore. However minister Bassil is right...how can Israel claim u.n. approval if they are yet to be a signatory?
Powerbroker, don't get ur hopes up. When it comes to oil and gas, the U.S. will sell u out quick smart. The u.s. State department have already accepted lebanon's proposal last august. And a u.s. Company will be employed to extract. Let's see Israel attack that rigg!
almost 13 years
I have been watching this for a while and now here's the irrefutable evidence that ado the leftist ssnp pseudo intellectual is in realty a filthy Zionist Mossad CIA agent and Hizballah member like Le Phenicien, notice how he did not bother to answer any of the Shiite Mossad Iranian terrorist's treacherous guillotine worthy comments.
Yet he's always the first accuse others of being Israeli agent to give himself a legitimacy just like the Mossad Zionist Shiite Iranian terrorist Le Phenicien claims to be Christian.
Some people call it hypocrisy I call it deception pure and simple, that's why his argument are always full of holes you can drive a Merkava through.
almost 13 years
neutral, I always said that the Christian hates Jews more even than Muslims.
Matter of fact in the name of Christ the Christian collaborated with the worthed murderers like the Nazis. Reading your post it shows you are no different than they are.
To people like you (Excuse me for including you among human race) I always wish them to replace my Grandfathers and Grandmothers who went to heaven through the Auschwitz gaz chambers and chimneys.
At least you are not considered among the hypocretes stating that they have nothing against Jews only against Israelis , you make no difference,
Can tell you that people like you deserved what your "Brothers" the Muslims did to you and pity you managed to escape from Lebanon in time .
Filth remain filth.
All of Lebanon's territorial rights should be respected south, west, east and all the way north, and should be under the control of the Lebanese state, as Lebanese we should all agree on that ans accept nothing less.