| 1 |
In an appearance on CNN’s Face The Nation, United States special energy envoy Amos Hochstein announced that Israel and Lebanon are likely to sign the much-anticipated maritime deal on Thursday.
The deal, which puts an end to a decade-long disagreement between the two Middle Eastern neighbors over their maritime boundaries, will see recognition of Israel’s 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) buoy line off its northern coast, will recognize Lebanese jurisdiction over the maritime economic zone that includes the Qana field and will allow Israel to proceed with plans to drill for gas in the Karish gas field.
Israel’s High Court of Justice recently rejected four petitions against the agreement, allowing for the Israeli cabinet to approve the deal on Thursday morning.
It is hoped that, following the Israeli cabinet’s approval, both states will sign the agreement and then send letters to the United Nations, outlining the exact parameters of the deal.
According to media reports, Jerusalem is hoping that both sides will sign the deal in the same room, while Beirut will probably insist on having its delegation sign the deal in a separate room.
The talks leading up to this deal were mediated by the United States since there are no formal relations between Israel and Lebanon.
When asked if the U.S. will be able to close the deal between Lebanon and Israel to allow for offshore drilling, Special Presidential Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein says:
"We're going to have a deal, we’re going to sign it hopefully this Thursday." pic.twitter.com/dmAwxUKERT
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 23, 2022
| 2 |
On Sunday, the Israeli government approved the appointment of Major General Herzi Halevi as the twenty-third Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Halevi will replace the current IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, who finishes his term in January 2023.
Halevi, 54, currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the IDF. His previous positions in the military include head of the Southern Command, chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate and commander of the elite General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal) during the Second Intifada.
Following the government’s approval of Halevi’s appointment, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that “[Halevi] joins a long and elite series of thoughtful and bold commanders who knew how to march the IDF forward.”
Lapid also commended Halevi for his “enormous contribution to Israeli security, to the IDF’s quality, and to the power of the state.”
During his remarks, Prime Minister Lapid also celebrated the tenure of outgoing Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, declaring it to be “a glorious chapter in this book of life.”
Israeli cabinet approves Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi as the next Israel Defense Forces chief of staff. pic.twitter.com/S6ZPWQJQiu
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 23, 2022
| 3 |
Overnight, members of the IDF’s 769th Regional Brigade arrested a suspect who was transporting arms and drugs into Israel from Lebanon.
According to a statement released by the army spokesperson, the suspect was attempting to bring two guns and 66 pounds of drugs (worth approximately $226,000) into the Jewish state.
Ultimately, the suspect, the guns and drugs were transferred to the police for further processing.
Following the arrest, the spokesperson stated that “The IDF will continue to act against any attempt to violate sovereignty, smuggling, and criminal activity on the Lebanese border.”
Tensions are currently high on the border between Israel and Lebanon as the two countries are set to sign a deal that will end the decade-long maritime dispute between them.
Sunday night’s interception is also the second time in a month that smugglers have been caught trying to transport drugs into Israel. In early October, Israeli soldiers apprehended a group of smugglers who were trying to bring 354 pounds of drugs (worth approximately $1 million) across the border from Egypt.
IDF says it foiled a drug and weapon smuggling from Lebanon overnight. 2 handguns and 30kg of unnamed drug (I'd guess captagon) seized. Video shows troops arresting suspect.https://t.co/CZjmleYKha pic.twitter.com/jVyX5uCFGE
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 24, 2022
| 4 |
The Lion’s Den terror group has threatened a “harsh, agonizing and painful response” after one of its members was killed Saturday night in an alleged Israeli assassination.
Tamer Kilani, a popular member of the organization, was killed at 1:30 A.M. in Nablus when his motorcycle exploded as he passed by it. Soon after, a surveillance video was released, showing someone affixing an explosive device to the bike minutes before Kilani walked by it.
The Lion’s Den is a budding terror group based in the Nablus region that is composed of members of internationally recognized terror organizations, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In the last few weeks, the group has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including the shooting death of an Israeli soldier as well as a shooting attack on a taxi and bus.
Since early 2022, Israel has a seen a rise in Palestinian terrorist attacks, with a considerable number emanating from the Jenin and Nablus regions.
⭕️ BREAKING: Tamer Al-Kilani, of the terrorist cell “Lion’s Den” died after an explosive was set off on his motorcycle in Shechem last night. Palestinians are claiming it was an Israeli assassination, with claims of SMS warnings being sent before. Israel has not commented. pic.twitter.com/n8qbBWyCYF
— Chaim • חיים (@ChaimSmierc) October 23, 2022
Recommended Reading
- Citing Common Threat From Iran, Lapid Pledges Cyber Defense Help to Albania (Lazar Berman, Times of Israel)
- Israel Approves $18 Million for Albert Einstein Museum at Hebrew University (Jewish News Syndicate)
- 3 of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Startups are Israeli (Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21c)
- UN Report on Human Rights in West Bank and Gaza Serves Only Terror Supporters (Ben-Dror Yemini, Ynetnews)
- ‘Growing Up With Holocaust Trauma, I Never Heard of Jewish Heroines Standing Up to Nazis’ (Eldad Beck, Israel Hayom)
