David Shankar, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, stated in an interview with Al-Hurra channel on the program "Lebanese Scene" with Mona Saliba that nothing has changed in Lebanon's or Israel's stance that would lead to successful negotiations between them regarding maritime border demarcation. He expressed doubt that the American mediator has any new proposals to bring to the table and called on both parties to show flexibility as the situation appears complex.
Shankar noted that discussions about line 29, which Lebanon insists on, will not lead to a resolution, and Lebanon may not be able to extract resources from certain sites, likely yielding no results. He added, "I am not very optimistic, and if things continue this way, we will reach an impasse."
He pointed out that President Michel Aoun's failure to sign adopting line 29, as established by the army, is essential for the negotiating team, but it is not a concession from Lebanon since the army remains committed to this line and giving it up is unacceptable to public opinion.
Shankar stated that the movement of the ship towards Karish and its arrival at the field is not surprising as planning and preparations have been in place for years, questioning why some are displeased with the ship's presence at this particular moment. He questioned why Lebanese are not allowed to explore for gas in blocks eight, nine, and ten, most of which are outside any disputed area. He noted that for 11 years, Lebanon chose not to benefit from these resources, and the Lebanese government has not taken any serious actions to commence exploration or sign contracts.
He asserted that what is happening will not harm negotiations but will encourage Lebanon to take the matter seriously. Shankar expressed that things will remain the same if Lebanon rejects the American mediator's proposals, resulting in a vicious cycle. At the same time, there are no entities willing to engage with Lebanon for various reasons, such as corruption and the absence of a government. Therefore, he believes it is in Lebanon's interest to take advantage of this free resource, especially given its deteriorating economic crisis.
Israel has begun working in several fields, while Lebanon has not yet started. Regarding the possibility of war, Shankar responded that this is always a likelihood, not due to maritime borders but because of Hezbollah's development of precision-guided munitions and its enhancement of its arsenal on the ground.
