Infrastructures minister: These areas are within the economic waters of Israel.
Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau told "Bloomberg" yesterday that Israel is even willing to use force to protect offshore natural gas finds after the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament said the fields extended into his nation’s waters.
“We will not hesitate to use our force and strength to protect not only the rule of law but international maritime law,” said Landau. “Whatever we find, they will have something to say. That’s because they’re not challenging our findings and so-called occupation of the sea. Our very existence here is a matter of occupation for them. These areas are within the economic waters of Israel."
Ten days ago, Hizbullah warned Israel not to extract gas from the recently discovered fields, because they belong to Lebanon.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 24, 2010
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010
Adi Ben-Israel and Uzi Blumer