US Offers To Mediate Israel-Lebanon Maritime Dispute

The United States is ready to mediate constructive talks between the governments of Israel and Lebanon to determine maritime boundaries.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has offered to mediate in the negotiations to resolve the territorial dispute.

He said in a tweet on Tuesday that “the United States remains ready to mediate constructive negotiations between the Israeli and Lebanese governments on their maritime boundary. We encourage both sides to continue discussions based on the respective claims they have previously deposited at the United Nations.”

The United States remains ready to mediate constructive negotiations between the Israeli and Lebanese governments on their maritime boundary. We encourage both sides to continue discussions based on the respective claims they have previously deposited at the United Nations.

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— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 22, 2020

Note that, the two neighbors have been technically at war since the 1948-1949 Arab-Israeli war.

Although there is no demarcated border between the two countries, the two countries agree on a ceasefire around the so-called blue belt.

The border was drawn by the United Nations in 2000 after Israeli troops withdrew from eastern Lebanon after a 22-year occupation.

It is the tensest front in the region, where Israeli forces face Lebanese troops and peacekeepers from the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and the UN Interim Force (UNIFIL) in Lebanon.

In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought a long war in which 1,190 Lebanese and 163 Israelis were killed.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier, Beirut explosion in August killed at least 200 people and damaged buildings at least  $4.6 billion.

2750 tons of ammonium titrate stored unsafely at the port exploded due to fire.

Lebanon is currently suffering from an economic crisis due to the depreciation of its currency and rising unemployment and poverty.

The government resigned after the Beirut bombings, and Western powers want the new government to reform to lift sanctions on its economic aid.

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