Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the agreement announced earlier on Tuesday by Prime Minister Yair Lapid on delimiting the maritime border with Lebanon.
In response to Lapid's proclamation that the agreement was "historic," the former prime minister called the U.S.-brokered deal a "historic surrender."
2 View gallery
Benjamin Netanyahu, Karish gas field, Yair Lapid
(Photo: AFP, Olivier Fitoussi, Yoav Dudkevitch)
Netanyahu said Lapid conceded to "all of Hezbollah's demands", claiming that Lapid was "frightened" and thus "surrendered."
Notably, the Likud chairman did not say that he would vote against the deal in the Knesset. However, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked issued a statement saying that she would vote against the agreement if it is not brought before parliament for approval.
Lapid's Yesh Atid party quickly shot back at Netanyahu following his statement, saying that he "recited" the messages of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
"The chairman of the opposition to the country, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the agreement, became a vocal opponent only because he was unable to achieve it himself," Yesh Atid said on Twitter.
"Recommendation to Netanyahu: put personal interests aside, listen to the heads of the security establishment who unanimously support the agreement, and praise Prime Minister Lapid who brings results to the citizens."
Earlier Tuesday, Lebanon and Israel received a final draft of a U.S.-mediated maritime border deal that satisfies all of their requirements. Israeli officials also said that the agreement, along with a map detailing it, will be presented to the public as soon as it is signed. According to the U.S., Lebanon will approve the deal officially first, followed by Israel.
However, the approval in Israel could prove complex. The agreement needs to be passed by an interim government prior to the November 1 elections, feeding into the controversy surrounding the issue.