Oct. 26 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The gas company Energean announced this Wednesday that it has begun to extract gas from the Karish field after the Israeli Ministry of Energy granted permission to the company to exploit the field and on the eve of the ceremony of the agreement between the parties on the border common maritime
“Gas is being produced in the Karish Main-02 well and the gas flow is constantly increasing,” Energean explained in a statement, adding that sales will start “in the coming days,” according to the newspaper. ‘The Times of Israel’.
All eyes will be on Thursday in the Lebanese border city of Naqoura, where the parties will celebrate the signing ceremony of the agreement sponsored by the US mediator, Amos Hochstein, who will also be present, as confirmed by Washington.
“Hochstein will meet with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nayib Mikati to express his gratitude to each for the open and consultative spirit shown throughout the negotiations,” The United States Department of State has expressed in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid will sign the agreement in his office at noon, after which the Israeli negotiating team will participate in the afternoon ceremony along with a Lebanese delegation, US special mediator Amos Hochstein and various United Nations officials.
After signing the agreement, Hochstein will travel to Israel to meet with Lapid with the aim of thanking him “for his persistent and principled diplomacy in reaching a resolution” of the conflict over the common maritime border.
Both Israel and Lebanon agreed to recognize the border buoyed by Israel, allowing Beirut to enjoy exploitation of the area north of Line 23, including the Qana camp, while Israeli authorities maintain control over Karish amid threats from the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah.
