Gas Production Begins at Karish Gas Field as Israel, Lebanon Poised to Sign Controversial Deal

British-Greek gas producer Energean has begun production at the Karish offshore natural field, a day before the controversial U.S.-brokered maritime deal will be signed between Israel and Lebanon.

In a press release, the gas company said “it is pleased to confirm that the first gas has been safely delivered at the Karish field, offshore Israel.”

According to the company, sales of gas to customers will begin “in the next couple of days.”

Energean, which also holds the pumping rights to the Tanin natural gas field, said the rate of commercial gas sales will peak within four to six months.

“We have delivered a landmark project that brings competition to the Israeli gas market, enhances security of energy supply in the East Med region and brings affordable and clean energy that will displace coal-fired power generation, making a material impact to the environment,” Energean CEO Mathios Rigas said.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailed the development, saying it would “bolster Israel’s energy security, enhance our stature as energy exporters, strengthen Israel’s economy, and help in grappling with the global energy crisis.

“The natural gas from Karish will help lower energy prices in Israel as well as increase competition in the market,” he said.

The Biden administration’s energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, who mediated the deal, is slated to arrive in Lebanon tomorrow ahead of its signing at a United Nations base near the Lebanese border town of Naqoura.

The deal allows energy production from the Karish field, which is the crux of the dispute between the two nations. While Israel maintains that the gas field is within its territorial waters, Lebanon claims it’s partially within theirs. The two countries, which are technically still at war, never demarcated maritime borders.

Hezbollah, the terror group that effectively controls Lebanese politics, has threatened war over Israel’s decision to develop the Karish gas field and has attacked the rig twice in recent months. The Israeli military intercepted several Hezbollah drones headed for the rig in over the summer.

Critics in Israel and the U.S. have blasted the deal, with former prime minister and leader of the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu, calling it a surrender to Hezbollah.

The Israeli High Court of Justice last week unanimously rejected all petitions filed against the deal.

The petitions, filed by the Lavi organization for citizens’ rights and the Kohelet Policy Forum, claimed that since the current government is only a caretaker one, any potential deal must first reach a Knesset vote.

But the court ruled that the caretaker government’s claims that there were “urgent security, diplomatic and economic reasons” was reason enough to approve the deal before the country heads again to national elections on November 1.

Israel’s Supreme Court and justice system as a whole often comes under fire for its dovish rulings.