Lebanon: Israel sea border threatens peace

Lebanon on Monday warned the United Nations that Israel’s proposed sea border threatens peace and security, as tensions rise between the neighbors over offshore oil and gas reserves. “Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur has sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rejecting geographic coordinates Israel submitted to the United Nations concerning the northern part of the waters it claims,” said the ministry. It said in a statement that the Israeli claim “infringes on Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone,” a sea zone that gives a state the right to explore its maritime resources. “This is a clear violation of Lebanon’s rights… over an area of some 860 square kilometers, and puts international peace and security at risk,” it said, adding, “We urge the secretary general to take all necessary measures to avoid conflict.”