Lebanon, Israel reach ‘historic agreement’ on maritime borders

London-based Energean’s drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field off Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean [File: Ari Rabinovitch/Reuters]

Lebanon and Israel have reached a “historic” deal to end a long-running maritime border dispute in the gas-rich Mediterranean Sea, according to negotiators from the two countries.

Lebanon’s deputy speaker Elias Bou Saab said on Wednesday, after submitting the United States-brokered final draft of the deal to President Michel Aoun, that an agreement had been reached that satisfies both sides.