Israeli energy minister due in Cyprus to address Aphrodite field dispute - CYPRUS MAIL

September 17, 2022
Christodoulos Mavroudis

Israeli energy minister Karine Elharrar will be in Cyprus on Monday 19 to address the pending dispute with Nicosia over the Yishai gas field, according to his Cypriot counterpart Natasa Pilides.

Pilides told CNA on that Elharrar will be visiting Cyprus “in the context of our institutionalised discussion over Yishai.”

Israeli daily business newspaper Calcalist on Saturday, citing unnamed but reliable sources reported that Israel was looking into a new framework to address the pending dispute with Cyprus over the Aphrodite/Yishai gas fields.

Reportedly, Elharrar will propose to the Cypriot side to take over 10 per cent of the field which the Israeli side considers its own, against monetary compensation.

This comes six months after intergovernmental parleys aimed at resolving the longstanding dispute were announced to be taking place between the two countries.

If Nasrallah attacks Karish gas field, Lebanon will pay the price - Gantz - JERUSALEM POST

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 20:55
By TOVAH LAZAROFF, ANNA AHRONHEIM

Israel warned that Lebanon would pay the price for any Hezbollah attack on its offshore Karish gas field, even as it said it hoped a US-brokered deal to set a maritime boundary in the north was close to completion.

“If [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah wants to try and harm and to complicate this process, he is welcome to do so, the price is Lebanon,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Reichman University’s 21st World Summit on Counter-Terrorism on Thursday morning. “I hope for his sake that he won’t do this, we are prepared to defend our interests.”

Gantz’ words come as US envoy Amos Hochstein appears to be on the edge of concluding a deal between the Lebanese and Israeli governments to set a maritime border off the Mediterranean Sea. It would give Israel rights to the Karish gas field and Lebanon the right to the abutting Kana gas field.