Israel will hold rare talks with Lebanon next month in an effort to resolve a longstanding maritime border dispute, an Israeli official says.
The official says Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz will lead the Israeli delegation in talks mediated by the United States. Representatives from the three countries are likely to speak by video conference because of the coronavirus pandemic, the official says.
Direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are extremely rare. The countries are technically in a state of war.
There is no immediate comment from Lebanon.
Illustrative photo of a natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)
Israel and Lebanon each claim about 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea as within their own exclusive economic zones.
Both are hoping to explore and develop new gas fields in the Mediterranean following a number of big finds in recent years. US diplomats have been shuttling between the two countries and pushing for direct talks in recent years.
— AP
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