Lebanon will agree to draw its maritime border with Israel under UN supervision

Lebanon’s house speaker announces that Beirut will agree to draw its maritime border with Israel under the supervision of the United Nations, Lebanese media reports.

“We are ready to draw Lebanon’s maritime borders and those of the Exclusive Economic Zone using the same procedure that was used to draw the Blue Line under the supervision of the United Nations,” Nabih Berri tells Stefano Del Col, head of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping force, according to the Xinhua agency citing Lebanon’s National News Agency.

There are over 300 square miles (775 square kilometers) of waters claimed by both countries, which are technically in a state of conflict. Tensions have flared in the past over gas fields that might be located in the disputed area.

The Blue Line is the land border between Israel and Lebanon as drawn by the UN after Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000. Beirut disputes part of that line and claims an area known in Israel as Mount Dov and in Lebanon as the Shebaa Farms.