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The Israeli Cabinet gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday to give authorization to the US-mediated maritime border and natural gas deal with Lebanon, clearing the way for Prime Minister Yair Lapid to sign the agreement.
Following the PM’s final approval, a signing ceremony took place at the United Nations base in Naqoura, located along the Israel-Lebanon border. The gathering was attended by members of the Israeli, Lebanese, and US negotiating teams.
“This is a tremendous achievement for the State of Israel and for the government of Israel,” Lapid told his ministers at the beginning of the special Cabinet session. “This agreement strengthens Israel’s security and our freedom of action against Hezbollah and the threats to our north,” he argued, adding that “everyone has signed off on this agreement and its contribution to Israel’s security and our operational needs.”
Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a letter approving the maritime agreement earlier on Thursday. Israel’s premier claimed that by agreeing to the deal, Lebanon — which officially remains in a state of war with its southern neighbor — effectively recognized the Jewish state, something Beirut denies.
5 Things you should know about the Israel-Lebanon maritime agreement: pic.twitter.com/fzrhXAaoTm
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 27, 2022
The pact draws a border between the two countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs) based on a boundary known as “Line 23.” It awards a disputed area of roughly 840 square kilometers (324 square miles) to Lebanon, while recognizing Jerusalem’s claim to the Karish gas field and to royalties from the portion of the Qana field that stretches into Israel’s EEZ.
During a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House on Wednesday, Joe Biden lauded the maritime agreement. “I think it’s a historic breakthrough — it took a lot of courage for you [Israel] to step up and step into it, and it took some real guts, and I think it took principle and persistent diplomacy to get it done,” the US President told Herzog.
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At least four members of the Lions’ Den, a newly-formed Nablus-based terrorist organization responsible for recent attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, surrendered to the Palestinian Authority (PA) police late Wednesday, Palestinian news reports stated.
Among the four terror operatives who reportedly turned themselves in to the PA was Mahmoud al-Bana, a prominent member who was injured in an Israeli counterterror operation against the group on Tuesday. During the raid, Israeli troops killed the apparent leader of the organization and four other gunmen, in addition to destroying an explosives factory.
Lions' Den commander Mahmoud al-Bana surrendered himself to Palestinian Authority security forces a short time ago. Al-Bana was allegedly wounded in a firefight with IDF troops and his brother died recently under PA custody. The Lions' Den will issue a statement shortly. pic.twitter.com/5DVXC9S7Qx
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 26, 2022
On Wednesday, another three members were arrested by Israeli security services. Earlier this week, a leading member of the Lions’ Den was already killed in an explosion attributed to Israel.
According to local media, the four terrorists surrendered following a deal between Lions’ Den members and the Palestinian Authority, under which the operatives would turn themselves in and be protected from Israel. Al-Bana wrote in a Facebook post that he resigned from terror in order to save his own life.
In response to the surrender, the Lions’ Den issued a statement saying the group “has not asked any official or security body, no matter how respectable, to hand over our fighters [to them], and whoever surrenders himself, this is their decision and choice.”
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Israel has started working with Ukraine on intelligence, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, saying the cooperation between the two countries was on a positive trajectory. “We need Israel’s help and political leadership…and it has started in recent days,” Zelensky told journalists at a briefing in Kyiv.
“I’ll tell you honestly, I’m satisfied with the past few days,” Zelensky said, explaining: “We started working. I won’t give details, because our intelligence was working, but I want to say: After a long pause, I see these steps forward.”
The Ukrainian president’s statements came following revelations of increased Iranian involvement in supplying Russia with suicide drones and training its army in their use. Zelensky warned that, in return, Moscow might help Tehran develop a nuclear weapons arsenal.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced that Israel would provide war-torn Ukraine with more humanitarian aid and a missile defense alert system, while stressing that Jerusalem cannot provide Kyiv with weapons to fight off the Russian invasion.
Israel’s approach to the Ukraine war has been described as a “delicate balancing act.” This is in part due to Jerusalem’s deconfliction mechanism with Moscow, allowing the IDF to strike Iranian targets in Syria, where the Russian Armed Forces have a significant presence.
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Following a meeting with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz thanked the Republic of Turkey for the “life-saving operation” against Iranian terrorists who planned to assassinate Israelis over the past summer.
“We are thankful to Turkey for the crucial, life-saving cooperation,” Gantz said at a press conference, adding: “As agreed in our meetings, I have instructed my staff to begin the procedures required in order to resume working relations.”
Gantz took off for the Turkish capital on Wednesday for the first official meeting between the two countries’ defense ministers in two decades. As part of the visit, he also met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In August, Israel and Turkey agreed to restore full diplomatic relations.
The two countries had recalled their respective ambassadors in 2010 after the Israeli Navy intercepted a flotilla transporting weapons to the Gaza Strip, an incident that resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish nationals. Following an attempt at mending ties, Turkey withdrew its ambassador in 2018 when the United States announced that it would be moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
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