Lebanon and Israel are expected to restart their United States-brokered maritime border negotiations with the arrival of U.S. mediator John Desrocher.
Desrocher is set to arrive in Beirut this weekend and the border demarcation talks will most likely start as soon as Monday, according to a Lebanese military source to Asharq al-Awsat.
Negotiations are set to resume May 4th.
The source informed the daily that the decision to restart the negotiations came based on a U.S. move and was met with positivity from Lebanese officials. Lebanon had already expressed interest in restarting the talks earlier this year.
Talks will pick up where they left off six months ago after Israel accused Lebanon of changing its position, which Israel said would lead to a “dead end” in the talks.
Last month, the caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Michel Najjar signed a document that expands Lebanon’s claims in the maritime border negotiations. However, President Michel Aoun put a hold on the decree citing a needed cabinet meeting.
Lebanon and Israel first entered the talks last year in a move that was considered historic as both sides are formally in a state of war.
Israel is already benefiting from oil exploration off its shore.