Israel and Lebanon on Wednesday held unprecedented talks brokered by the United Nations and United States to settle a maritime border dispute and clear the way for oil and gas exploration within “reasonable time”.
The two countries are still technically at war.
In a joint statement afterwards, the US and the UN said the talks had been “productive” and that the delegates had “reaffirmed their commitment to continue negotiations later this month”.
The talks were held at a UN peacekeeping force base in the Lebanese border town of Naqura and lasted for around one hour. They came weeks after Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab states to establish relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
A second round of negotiations will be held on 28th October.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Knesset this week approved the historic deal between Israel and the UAE. Eighty parliamentarians voted in favor of the deal, and all 13 who opposed it were from Arab The Joint List. The deal now moves to the government for final ratification.
