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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 7 June 2022
Lebanon urges U.S. envoy to end maritime dispute with Israel

By BASSEM MROUE Press showed the Marshall
Associated Press Islands-flagged Energean
BEIRUT (AP) — The Leba- Power floating produc-
nese government invited tion storage and offload-
on Monday a U.S. envoy ing vessel in the Karish field
mediating between Leba- area of the Mediterranean
non and Israel over their Sea. Nearby was the Ba-
disputed maritime border hamas-flagged platform
to return to Beirut as soon Arendal Spirit. Ship tracking
as possible to work out an data from the two vessels
agreement amid rising ten- analyzed by the AP also
sions along the border. confirmed the vessels’ pres-
The invitation for Amos ence in the area.
Hochstein, a senior ad- On Monday, the office of
viser for energy security at Lebanon’s caretaker Prime
the U.S. State Department, Minister Najib Mikati said
came a day after Israel set that he has agreed with
up a gas rig at its desig- Aoun to invite Hochstein to
nated location at the Kar- return to Beirut for talks on
ish field, which Israel says is the border dispute and “to
part of its U.N.-recognized work on concluding them
exclusive economic zone. In this photo released by Lebanese government, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets as soon as possible in order
Lebanon insists it is in a dis- with U.S. Envoy for Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein, center, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon to prevent any escalation
puted area. Dorothy Shea, left, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 9, 2022. that will not serve the sta-
Associated Press
The U.S.-mediated indi- bility that the region is cur-
rect talks between Leba- tiations have not ended, The ministry said that the to the United Nations, it’s rently witnessing.”
non and Israel have been adding that any move by Karish field is projected to not in Lebanon,” she said. Israel and Lebanon, which
stalled for months amid dis- Israel will be considered provide half of Israel’s de- Elharrar added that the have been officially at
agreement within Lebanon “a provocation and hos- mand for natural gas and Israeli defense ministry is war since Israel’s creation
over how big the disputed tile act.” Aoun’s office said will allow greater exports taking the necessary steps in 1948, both claim some
area is. Lebanon is home to Lebanon formally notified to neighboring Egypt and to protect the rig, without 860 square kilometers (330
the heavily armed militant the United Nations in Feb- Jordan. elaborating further. square miles) of the Medi-
Hezbollah group, which is ruary that Karish is part of Israel’s Energy Minister Kar- Elharrar also told the 103FM terranean Sea. Lebanon
backed by Iran and has the disputed area and that ine Elharrar said in an inter- radio station that the Leb- hopes to unleash offshore
fought several wars with the U.N. Security Council view on Monday with Army anese allegations were oil and gas production as
Israel. Hezbollah has also should prevent Israel from Radio that the field was “very far from reality” and it grapples with an eco-
warned it would use its drilling there in order “to “entirely in undisputed ter- that “all the relevant forces nomic crisis. Last year, the
weapons to protect Leba- avoid steps that could form ritory” and called on Leba- are involved, and I recom- Lebanese delegation — a
non’s economic rights. a threat to international non to return to indirect ne- mend not trying to surprise mix of army generals and
On Sunday, Lebanon peace and security.” gotiations. Israel.” But she said the like- professionals — offered a
warned Israel not to start The Israeli energy ministry “It’s not even (above) the lihood of conflict was small. new map that pushes for
drilling in the Karish field confirmed that the oil rig southern line that Lebanon Satellite images on Sunday an additional 1,430 square
and President Michel Aoun arrived Sunday, after a five- submitted to the United from Planet Labs PBC ana- kilometers (550 square
said maritime border nego- week sail from Singapore. Nations. Even according lyzed by The Associated miles).q

South African pastor found guilty of

treason, racist plot

the country. ons and ammunition were esen's plot was motivated
Harry Johannes Knoesen, found when he was arrest- by his "highly racial views"
61, a leader of the National ed in Middelburg, a small and that he sought to jus-
Christian Resistance Move- town in the eastern Mpum- tify his beliefs on religious
ment, was on Monday alanga province. grounds, claiming that he
found guilty of high trea- The plot by the pastor's was ordained to "reclaim
son, incitement to carry out group was foiled in 2019 by South Africa for white peo-
violent attacks, and recruit- South Africa's police and ple."
ing people to commit at- intelligence services, who "To further this end, he
tacks. have since dismantled the planned to attack govern-
Knoesen's group explored organization's cells across ment institutions and more
the possibility of using a various parts of the coun- specifically police and mili-
biological weapon to in- try and arrested some of its tary institutions," Monica
fect and kill Black people, leaders. Nyuswa, a spokeswoman
including the poisoning of Knoesen was convicted on for the National Prosecut-
Pastor Harry Knoesen, appears in the Magistrates court, in water reservoirs supplying evidence from witnesses ing Authority, told The Asso-
Middelburg, South Africa, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Black communities, ac- including members of his ciated Press.
Associated Press cording to the prosecution. group who are already He also identified townships
By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME convicted a pastor of plot- Knoesen was also found serving jail sentences after and informal settlements
Associated Press ting to overthrow the gov- guilty of unlawful posses- they were convicted of occupied by Black South
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A ernment and to kill thou- sion of firearms by the Mid- similar crimes. Africans as targets for at-
South African court has sands of Black people in delburg High Court. Weap- The state alleged that Kno- tack, she said. q