New Tension With Israel: Lebanon Enlists Iran's Help With Oil And Gas Exploration

Considering that Hezbollah is Iran's puppet, it should not be such a surprise, but it is only going to cause more problems for Israel:

Cabinet seeks Iran’s oil know-how

The Cabinet approved Wednesday a key Memorandum of Understanding between Lebanon’s Energy and Water Resources Ministry and Iran’s Petroleum Ministry in the field of energy, as President Michel Sleiman called on the government to address socio-economic needs.


A source from the Energy and Water Resources Ministry told The Daily Star that the MOU allows Iran to assist Lebanon in the fields of gas and oil exploration but refused to elaborate. The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar television station said the cooperation agreement in the field of energy was worth $50 million.

While the nature of Iran's help is purposely vague, in the context of the current disagreement between Israel and Lebanon on maritime borders and the rights to underwater gas deposits--it is likely that this is what is behind this new agreement.

The article, from The Daily Star, also sees the connection:

On July 10, Israel’s Cabinet approved a map of its proposed maritime borders, which Lebanon viewed as “aggression” against its oil and gas rights. Israel’s maritime borders with Lebanon are believed to contain a wealth of natural gas and oil.

Berri tasked Beirut MP Mohammad Qabbani, the chairman of Parliament’s Public Works, Transport, Energy, and Water committee, to cooperate with concerned ministries to come up with a draft law to delineate Lebanon’s maritime borders.

According to the speaker the draft law could be ratified during legislative sessions in Parliament on Aug. 3 and 4.

Qabbani’s committee said Lebanon might file a complaint against Israel before the U.N. Security Council after Israel proposed a maritime border that infringes on 860 square kilometers of Lebanese waters.

As I blogged earlier this week, Israeli sources claim that Lebanon already violated international law last year when it tried to unilaterally declare the maritime borders. Instead Israel and Lebanon are required to either meet directly to iron out the issue or bring it before an arbitrator.

It is possible that the UN will end up fulfilling the arbitrator role.

In the meantime, Iran has managed to impose itself into the situation.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Lebanon and Iran and Operation Cast Lead.