Second round of maritime-border talks between Israel, Lebanon

Rina Bassist

Oct 28, 2020

An Israeli navy corvette is pictured from the southern Lebanese border town of Naqura as it patrols the waters on October 28, 2020 during talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations on the demarcation of the maritime frontier between the two countries. - Lebanon and Israel, still technically at war and with no diplomatic ties, launched a second round of maritime border talks Wednesday under UN and US auspices to allow for offshore energy exploration. (Photo by Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP) (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYY — An Israeli navy corvette is pictured from the southern Lebanese border town of Naqoura as it patrols the waters on Oct. 28, 2020, during talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations on the demarcation of the maritime frontier between the two countries. — MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

Israel and Lebanon began Oct. 28 a second round of talks for demarcating their maritime border. The negotiations are being mediated by the US ambassador to Algeria, John Desrocher, under the auspices of the United Nations.

Much like the first round of talks Oct. 14, the parties convened at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon headquarters in the town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon. The talks are expected to continue Oct. 29. After the Oct. 28 talks concluded, the Israeli delegation updated Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz on what was discussed and he gave the go-ahead for the talks to continue. The ministry gave no other details about the talks.