Libya's HoR ratifying Turkey maritime deal 'very troubling' for Israeli security, expert to 'Post'
While Lerman said he was unsure what prompted HoR to approve the long-delayed agreement, he warned it could threaten Israel’s ability to develop underwater infrastructure connections.
Turkey's maritime boundary deal with Libya is causing concern for Israel's security, according to Colonel Eran Lerman, vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. The agreement, finalized between Tripoli and Ankara in 2019, was recently ratified by Libya's eastern legislature, the House of Representatives. This decision has drawn criticism from Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, and Israel.
The development signals a shift in regional alliances, with Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar distancing himself from the longstanding boycott of Turkey. Lerman acknowledged uncertainty about what prompted the House of Representatives to approve the long-delayed treaty, but warned that it could pose challenges to Israel's plans for underwater infrastructure connections with Cyprus and Greece.
Cyprus and Greece have previously opposed Turkey's claims over the maritime boundaries, as well as its military occupation of Northern Cyprus, which Turkey disputes under international law.
Lerman noted that Turkey's membership in neither the Convention on the Continental Shelf nor the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has raised doubts about their authority to influence maritime affairs. He explained that Turkey's ongoing military occupation of Northern Cyprus allows them to claim Greek islands as part of their territory, potentially exacerbating tensions.
Egypt and Greece had previously opposed Turkey's alignment with Libya, fearing that it would embolden Ankara to pursue neo-Ottoman aspirations. Lerman highlighted that Egypt's growing alignment with Turkey under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi could bring the Middle Eastern nation closer to Turkish ambitions, potentially weakening their common interests.
In terms of Israel's maritime security, the majority of the country's international trade is conducted by sea, with Haifa, Ashdod, and Eilat ports handling 98% of the import and export volume. The Houthis, a Houthi rebel movement in Yemen, have already targeted Eilat, and Lerman emphasized that Israel cannot afford additional disruptions to its Western maritime approaches.
He also pointed out that Turkey's naval presence in the Mediterranean has grown, as per the Mavi Vatan doctrine, which seeks to assert sovereign rights over a large maritime area spanning the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and eastern Mediterranean.
To counter potential Turkish expansion, Lerman advised Israel to bolster cooperation with Greece and Cyprus, suggesting that strengthening ties with these nations would be crucial in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding Israel's maritime interests.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
