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A30 world news
Diamars 7 Juni 2022

Lebanon urges U.S. envoy to end maritime dispute with Israel

BEIRUT (AP) — The have been officially at war
Lebanese government in- since Israel’s creation in 1948,
vited on Monday a U.S. both claim some 860 square
envoy mediating between kilometers (330 square miles)
Lebanon and Israel over of the Mediterranean Sea.
their disputed maritime Lebanon hopes to unleash
border to return to Beirut offshore oil and gas produc-
as soon as possible to work tion as it grapples with an
out an agreement amid economic crisis.
rising tensions along the Last year, the Lebanese del-
border. egation — a mix of army
generals and profession-
The invitation for Amos als — offered a new map
Hochstein, a senior adviser that pushes for an additional
for energy security at the 1,430 square kilometers (550
U.S. State Department, came square miles). An official at
a day after Israel set up a gas the office of Israel’s Prime
rig at its designated location Minister Naftali Bennett said
at the Karish field, which Is- “Karish is a natural gas res-
rael says is part of its U.N.- ervoir within Israel’s U.N.-
recognized exclusive eco- recognized exclusive eco-
nomic zone. Lebanon insists nomic zone.” The official,
it is in a disputed area. The who spoke on condition of
U.S.-mediated indirect talks anonymity in line with regu-
between Lebanon and Israel ish is part of the disputed area turn to indirect negotiations. Islands-flagged Energean lations, said that the Lebanese
have been stalled for months and that the U.N. Security “It’s not even (above) the Power floating production themselves had recognized it
amid disagreement within Council should prevent Is- southern line that Lebanon storage and offloading vessel as Israeli waters in the past.
Lebanon over how big the rael from drilling there in or- submitted to the United Na- in the Karish field area of the A Lebanese legal expert said
disputed area is. der “to avoid steps that could tions. Even according to the Mediterranean Sea. Nearby if Israel begins exploration
Lebanon is home to the heav- form a threat to international United Nations, it’s not in was the Bahamas-flagged work in Karish, the risk of
ily armed militant Hezbollah peace and security.” Lebanon,” she said. Elharrar platform Arendal Spirit. Ship conflict between the neigh-
group, which is backed by The Israeli energy ministry added that the Israeli defense tracking data from the two boring countries will in-
Iran and has fought several confirmed that the oil rig ministry is taking the neces- vessels analyzed by the AP crease, adding that Hezbol-
wars with Israel. Hezbollah arrived Sunday, after a five- sary steps to protect the rig, also confirmed the vessels’ lah’s precision-guided mis-
has also warned it would use week sail from Singapore. without elaborating further. presence in the area. siles can easily hit the oil rig.
its weapons to protect Leba- The ministry said that the Elharrar also told the 103FM On Monday, the office of “Their missiles are long-
non’s economic rights. Karish field is projected to radio station that the Leba- Lebanon’s caretaker Prime range and they are more pre-
On Sunday, Lebanon warned provide half of Israel’s de- nese allegations were “very Minister Najib Mikati said cise in hitting these targets
Israel not to start drilling in mand for natural gas and far from reality” and that that he has agreed with Aoun that are not mobile like ships
the Karish field and President will allow greater exports to “all the relevant forces are to invite Hochstein to return and fighter jets,” said Paul
Michel Aoun said maritime neighboring Egypt and Jor- involved, and I recommend to Beirut for talks on the bor- Morcos, founder and owner
border negotiations have not dan. not trying to surprise Israel.” der dispute and “to work on of Justicia Consulting Law
ended, adding that any move Israel’s Energy Minister Kar- But she said the likelihood of concluding them as soon as firm in Beirut.
by Israel will be considered “a ine Elharrar said in an inter- conflict was small. possible in order to prevent The Israeli military and min-
provocation and hostile act.” view on Monday with Army Satellite images on Sun- any escalation that will not istry of defense declined to
Aoun’s office said Lebanon Radio that the field was “en- day from Planet Labs PBC serve the stability that the re- comment on whether they
formally notified the United tirely in undisputed territory” analyzed by The Associated gion is currently witnessing.” were taking any specific mea-
Nations in February that Kar- and called on Lebanon to re- Press showed the Marshall Israel and Lebanon, which sures to protect Karish.

South African pastor found guilty of treason, racist plot

JOHANNESBURG (AP) tacks, and recruiting people rested some of its leaders. and informal settlements oc- right-wing white supremacy
— A South African court to commit attacks. Knoesen was convicted on cupied by Black South Afri- group known as the Boer-
has convicted a pastor of Knoesen’s group explored evidence from witnesses cans as targets for attack, she emag were sentenced to pris-
plotting to overthrow the the possibility of using a bio- including members of his said. on for plotting to kill South
government and to kill logical weapon to infect and group who are already serv- Knoesen allegedly used social Africa’s first Black president
thousands of Black people kill Black people, including ing jail sentences after they media platform Facebook to Nelson Mandela, overthrow
in the country. the poisoning of water reser- were convicted of similar incite violence against Black the government and kill
voirs supplying Black com- crimes. people and to recruit former thousands of Black people.
Harry Johannes Knoesen, munities, according to the The state alleged that Kno- members of South Africa’s They were handed sentences
61, a leader of the National prosecution. esen’s plot was motivated by military to join his move- ranging from five to 35 years
Christian Resistance Move- Knoesen was also found his “highly racial views” and ment and to carry out the following a 10-year treason
ment, was on Monday found guilty of unlawful posses- that he sought to justify his planned attacks. These were trial, one of the longest in the
guilty of high treason, incite- sion of firearms by the Mid- beliefs on religious grounds, foiled when he was arrested country’s history.
ment to carry out violent at- delburg High Court. Weap- claiming that he was ordained in November 2019 and the Knoesen is expected back in
ons and ammunition were to “reclaim South Africa for cells in various parts of the court on June 10 for the be-
found when he was arrested white people.” country were dismantled. ginning of sentencing pro-
in Middelburg, a small town “To further this end, he In his testimony, Knoesen ad- ceedings.
in the eastern Mpumalanga planned to attack govern- mitted to sharing “recipes” to
province. ment institutions and more manufacture explosives with
The plot by the pastor’s specifically police and mili- his followers on Facebook,
group was foiled in 2019 by tary institutions,” Monica according to the Middelburg
South Africa’s police and in- Nyuswa, a spokeswoman for Observer newspaper.
telligence services, who have the National Prosecuting Au- This is not the first racist,
since dismantled the organi- thority, told The Associated treasonous plot to be uncov-
zation’s cells across various Press. ered in South Africa.
parts of the country and ar- He also identified townships In 2013, 20 members of the