Israel says proposal offered to Lebanon 'constructive' and can lead to solution

W460

Israeli Energy Minister Karen Elharrar has said that the Israeli proposal submitted to Lebanon to solve the sea border dispute is “good, constructive and moves towards a solution.”

According to the English-language website of Israeli daily Israel Hayom, Elharrar thinks that the crisis between Israel and Lebanon will be resolved, and that the latest incident involving Hezbollah drones "won't lead to an escalation of tension."

"We submitted a new proposal, which I think is a good one. It's a proposal that will make Lebanon a gas producer, which is an event. This is a country with a deep economic crisis, an insane energy crisis – people there have three or four hours of electricity a day. This could change their situation," Elharrar told Israel Hayom.

Told that it "will take years" before Lebanon becomes a gas-producing country, Elharrar said: "It will take years in any case. But it's the difference between remaining in the current crappy situation, or a better future. If I were in charge of Lebanon, I'd go with the better future."

Elharrar also rejected accusations by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that Israel is trying to "hurt Lebanon and strip it of its rights."

"We can try to look for where we're being screwed, and we can come to negotiations willingly, like Israel did. In the end, they have a big interest in it. This is a golden opportunity to solve the dispute over the maritime border, and Lebanon can come out of it with energy at a time of a global energy crisis. The proposal we submitted is good, constructive, and moves toward a solution. I really hope the other side understands that," she added.

Told that some in Israel are saying that Israel has bowed to Hezbollah's "pressure and threats" and could end up ceding "territory that is worth money," Elharrar said: "Hezbollah always makes threats, it's nothing new. We are in negotiations with the government of Lebanon, and no other entity. In the end, the goal is to end the dispute over the maritime border. I think that it's in Lebanon's interests, too, as well as the entire region. Stability in the region is positive for everybody."

Asked whether the Lebanese government has the ability to reach a deal, the Israeli minister said "there's a reason the negotiations are being mediated by the Americans."

And asked whether a transition government in Israel can decide on a matter as important as the maritime border with Lebanon, Elharrar said: "This is an issue of major importance that influences Israel's security, economy, and energy, and has been under discussion for over a decade by the governments of Israel. If conditions are right for a deal that will protect Israeli interests, it would be a mistake to let the opportunity pass just because of the election. Of course everything will be done in coordination with the legal branch."

SourceNaharnet
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