President Michel Aoun announced Lebanon's approval of the proposed American text regarding the demarcation of maritime borders with Israel, while Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed to “Asharq Al-Awsat” that this text does not require parliamentary discussion "because it is not an agreement with Israel." Berri stated that he requested the distribution of the text to the MPs for their review, amid calls from deputies to discuss the agreement in the Parliament.
Concurrently, Aoun made two phone calls with Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, discussing the southern maritime border demarcation in light of the final draft sent by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein to Lebanese officials a few days ago. Aoun also reviewed with caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim Lebanon's position regarding the southern maritime border demarcation based on Hochstein's final draft and the steps that will follow to finalize the demarcation process and commence oil and gas exploration in Lebanese fields in the exclusive economic zone.
On Monday, Lebanon stated that the final draft of the agreement proposed by the U.S. envoy "is satisfactory to Lebanon, especially as it meets Lebanese demands" and "preserved Lebanon's rights to its natural wealth." U.S. President Joe Biden praised the agreement on Tuesday, describing it as a "historic breakthrough," urging all parties to adhere to it after intensive negotiations under U.S. auspices. Meanwhile, Israel announced on Tuesday a "historic" agreement with Lebanon to demarcate maritime borders between the two countries, which are officially in a state of war, and to remove obstacles to exploiting gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean.
Several Lebanese deputies called for the agreement to be referred to Parliament for discussion. MP Melhem Khalaf stated: "We (the MPs of the Change Bloc) request the parliamentary council to convene an urgent session regarding the demarcation issue." Khalaf added, "We addressed a letter to President Nabih Berri stating that the truce agreement stipulated that Lebanon's borders are the international borders based on the coordinates of March 1949, but we learned from the media that the maritime borders were drawn through U.S. mediation."
Khalaf said in a press conference: "Since it is not permissible to abandon the country's territory, and knowing that agreements related to state finances cannot be concluded by the President without the approval of Parliament, we should be informed of the text of the agreement."
The agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel received international welcome, with the state-run “National News Agency” reporting that the UN Under-Secretary-General Joanna Fronczak congratulated MP Jibran Basil, head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," on the "positive conclusion of maritime demarcation negotiations." Addressing the remaining operational steps, she affirmed that "Israel will not obstruct the signing process of the demarcation."
For his part, Basil confirmed that Lebanon "is committed to its full rights, and that the Lebanese people have the right to invest its oil wealth for its prosperity, which necessitates the presence of good and transparent governance."
Member of the "Development and Liberation" bloc, MP Ali Assiran stated that "the agreement on demarcation is a good first step, but the matters are in their final stages. It is not only important to finalize the demarcation but also to maintain this great and well-known wealth discovered since the 1950s, both on land and at sea."
