Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan appealed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres after the Lebanese government issued a tender inviting international companies to compete for drilling in Israel's sovereign maritime territory.
This letter is the latest a series of inquiries sent by Ambassador Erdan to the Secretary General on the subject in recent months after the Lebanese government repeatedly tried to take unilateral measures in the maritime territories in question, while US-sponsored negotiations are underway to finalize the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon.
"The Government of Israel expresses its official opposition to any Lebanese activity taken without our consent. Israel opposes any unauthorized economic activity of Lebanon in the maritime area in question, including, inter alia, the granting of rights by Lebanon to any third party, drilling, or the search for natural resources in maritime areas where Israel claims sovereign rights or jurisdiction," Erdan wrote, adding, "Israel calls on the Lebanese government to withdraw this tender immediately and to refrain from any step that would promote any non-agreed activity in maritime areas under Israeli sovereignty."
"Israel reiterates its call on all relevant third parties to respect Israel's position and to refrain from participating or promoting any action that could jeopardize Israel's rights, as well as to refrain from any other involvement in non-consensual economic activity in Israeli maritime areas. Any such activity exposes its participants to significant liability," the letter concludes.