Hariri: Arabs want peace
Photo: AP
Lebanon: Israel can only threaten
Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri responds to Minister Landau's vow to defend offshore drilling with force by saying Israel 'can do nothing but threaten, frighten Lebanese'; adds: 'Stability in Lebanon is what is threatening Israel'
Conflict over natural gas reserves on the northern border heated up Friday as Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri responded to threats by Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau to forcefully defend Israel's offshore drilling, worth billions of dollars.
"Israel can do nothing but threaten and frighten the Lebanese," Hariri said following a visit to Tunisia. He added that Israel has no good will towards Arabs, who desire peace.
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"The stability in Lebanon is what is threatening Israel," he said.
Meanwhile Lebanese officials continued to accuse Israel of invading its territorial waters with drilling at the Tamar and Leviathan sites.
The Hezbollah faction, which is part of the Lebanese coalition, said the government must act on the matter.
"The evidence coming out from Israel in regards to the gas stocked in the sea stress the need to hurry up with all moves needed to start taking advantage of this vital resource."
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday that his country plans to approve an oil law, which would maintain Lebanon's gas rights in the Mediterranean.
"Israel is ignoring the fact that, according to the maps, this field is included within Lebanon's territorial waters," he said.
Minister Landau told the Bloomberg news agency Thursday Israel would "not hesitate" to use force to protect what he termed "rule of law and international maritime law".
"Whatever we find, (Lebanon) will have something to say. That’s because they’re not challenging our findings and so-called occupation of the sea. Our very existence here is a matter of occupation for them. These areas are within the economic waters of Israel," he said.
