Schenker Returns to Beirut Soon over Southern Border Demarcation

In this photo released by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets with David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, at the presidential palace, in Baabda east of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (AP Photo)
In this photo released by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets with David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, at the presidential palace, in Baabda east of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (AP Photo)
TT
20

Schenker Returns to Beirut Soon over Southern Border Demarcation

In this photo released by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets with David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, at the presidential palace, in Baabda east of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (AP Photo)
In this photo released by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets with David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, at the presidential palace, in Baabda east of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (AP Photo)

US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker is expected to return to Beirut soon to resume the mediation that was carried out by his predecessor David Satterfield on a maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel, diplomats said.

Satterfield left the job after being appointed Ambassador to Turkey.

The diplomats, who refused to be identified, told Asharq Al-Awsat that during his trip to Beirut, Schenker would discuss ways to resolve the border dispute.

Last May, Lebanese President Michel Aoun discussed with Satterfield the proposals handed over by Lebanon to US Ambassador to Beirut Elizabeth Richard, which included an action mechanism that could be adopted to demarcate the southern maritime border.

Schenker’s expected visit to Beirut would be his second to the Lebanese capital since his appointment by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

In September, Schenker met with top Lebanese officials, including Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Aoun told Schenker that Lebanon hopes that the United States would continue its mediation efforts, picking up where things stopped with Satterfield.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned last month that Lebanese officials believe that the appointment of Schenker to resume the US role in solving the maritime border dispute is a sign on Pompeo’s eagerness for a demarcation without Israel flexing its muscles.

In his meeting with the Lebanese officials, Schenker said the US was ready to “renew efforts toward the demarcation of land and sea borders in south Lebanon,” and was keen to strengthen bilateral relations, especially in terms of supporting the Lebanese military.

On Friday, a Lebanese official said that Washington wants indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to succeed, because an agreement between the two sides would help in oil and gas exploration in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between Lebanon and Israel.



EU Tells Israel to Reverse Move to Cut Off Palestinian Banks

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
TT
20

EU Tells Israel to Reverse Move to Cut Off Palestinian Banks

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)

The EU on Wednesday urged Israel to undo a move by a far-right minister that threatens to paralyze Palestinian financial institutions.

Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday that Israel had cancelled a waiver allowing its banks to work with Palestinian ones.

"The European Union is deeply concerned by the instruction by Israel's finance minister Smotrich to cancel the waiver on cooperation with Palestinian banks, which could cut them off from the Israeli financial system, devastate an already crippled Palestinian economy, and may lead to the collapse of the Palestinian Authority," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

"The EU calls on Israel to revert this decision immediately and to refrain from any action that could lead to the collapse of the Palestinian authority."

The Palestinian financial and banking system is dependent on the regular renewal of the Israeli waiver.

It protects Israeli banks from potential legal action relating to transactions with their Palestinian counterparts, for instance in relation to “financing terror”.