US, Israel to sign guarantee on Lebanon-Israel maritime deal: reports

Israel and United States have completed writing the final version of a letter guaranteeing the maritime border deal between Israel and Lebanon, according to reports.

The letter which was reportedly formulated on Friday will be signed early next week, according to Israeli daily Haaretz, with its contents not to be made public.

The letter will reportedly be addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and signed by US President Joe Biden.

Its contents reportedly confirm that the US is committed to the deal’s full implementation and will stand by Israel in case the terms of the agreement are violated. 

Biden will define the agreement as the first, historic step in a process to promote stability between Israel and Lebanon, according to a source cited by the Israeli newspaper. 

The United States is also expected to reiterate its commitment to protecting Israel’s economic rights over the prospective Qana gas field and to prevent Hezbollah from profiting from the deal. 

The disputed patch of sea contains the Karish gas field and Qana, a prospective gas reservoir. Under the terms of the US-brokered deal, Israel has full rights to Karish, while Lebanon’s rights to Qana have been recognised. Both countries could gain some revenue from Qana. 

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun, who finished his six-year term on Sunday, officially signed the maritime deal with Israel last Thursday to finalise the border demarcation between the two countries after more than a decade of negotiations.

Aoun signed the letter at the presidential palace in the presence of US energy envoy and mediator Amos Hochstein, who called the event "historic".