Lebanon-Israel maritime dispute expected negotiation:
Lebanon and Israel are set to negotiate a long-running maritime dispute that has raised hopes of resolving a decades-old dispute between the two countries, which are officially at war.
The speaker of Lebanon's parliament says a consensus has been reached on a framework for talks to be held under the auspices of the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Israel's energy minister has said the bilateral talks will begin in mid-October.
The United States has welcomed the development, calling it a "historic agreement" that is set to take place after nearly three years of mediation
In the Eastern Mediterranean, Lebanon and Israel share maritime boundaries, and resolving the dispute would allow them to take advantage of offshore gas wells.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tweet that it would create greater stability, security and prosperity for the citizens of both countries.
The two neighbors have been technically at war since the 1948-1949 Arab-Israeli war.
Although there is no demarcated border between the two countries, the two countries agree on a ceasefire around the so-called blue belt.
The border was drawn by the United Nations in 2000 after Israeli troops withdrew from eastern Lebanon after a 22-year occupation.
It is the most tense front in the region, where Israeli forces face Lebanese troops and peacekeepers from the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and the UN Interim Force (UNIFIL) in Lebanon.
In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought a long war in which 1,190 Lebanese and 163 Israelis were killed.
Nabih Berri read out the framework of the agreement. He also clarified that this is not final yet.
He said the agreement was reached after the United States imposed sanctions on most Lebanese politicians. Among them was Ali Hassan Khalil, a senior ally in the finance ministry, who was accused by the United States of providing material to Hezbollah and of corruption.
Israeli Energy Minister Yoval Steinitz, who is leading his country's delegation, said "direct talks are expected to begin on October 10 at the end of the Jewish holiday of Scott."
"Our goal is to end the economic waters dispute between Israel and Lebanon so that natural resources can be used for the benefit of all people in the region,"
The announcement comes just weeks after agreements were reached to restore relations between Israel and the two Gulf states.
Earlier, a bomb blast near the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in August killed at least 200 people and damaged buildings at least $ 4.6 billion.
2750 tons of ammonium titrate stored unsafe at the port exploded due to fire.
Lebanon is currently suffering from an economic crisis due to the depreciation of its currency and rising unemployment and poverty.
The government resigned after the Beirut bombings, and Western powers want the new government to reform to lift sanctions on its economic aid.
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