Letters of approval for maritime deal to be submitted tomorrow

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Israeli media reported that Lebanon and the Israeli occupation are set to sign the US-mediated maritime border agreement at 3 pm local time on Thursday at the United Nations base in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced Wednesday afternoon.

The agreement still needs to be approved by the Israeli occupation cabinet, which is anticipated to do so overwhelmingly at its 10:30 am meeting in occupied Al-Quds the same day.

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At noon, Prime Minister Yair Lapid will sign the accord in his office. The Israeli negotiation team will then take part in the event in the afternoon alongside a Lebanese delegation, US special representative Amos Hochstein, and UN representatives.

France's envoy to Lebanon, Anne Grillo, will also be present, the Quai d'Orsay stated late on Wednesday. Israeli media reported that Lapid thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his active participation in mediating the negotiations.

Israeli media reported that Israeli and Lebanese officials are allegedly set to sit in the same room during the signing ceremony, according to Israeli officials, but that may change. 

The Israeli team will release a statement to the press along the Palestinian-Lebanese border at 5 pm. Hochstein will then travel south to occupied Al-Quds for a 7 pm meeting with Lapid.

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According to the Israeli source, once the agreement is inked, "Israel" and Lebanon will send letters to the United Nations laying out the terms of the deal.

The signing ceremony will take place one day after Karish, the offshore field at the focus of the agreement, began producing gas. “Gas is being produced from the Karish Main-02 well and the flow of gas is being steadily ramped up,” a statement from London-listed Energean said Wednesday.