Libya's HoR ratifying Turkey maritime deal 'very troubling' for Israeli security, expert to 'Post'

Libya's eastern House of Representatives approved a 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime boundary deal, which Israeli analyst Eran Lerman called 'very troubling' for Israeli security, warning it could threaten underwater infrastructure projects and create maritime security challenges.

Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR) approved a 2019 maritime boundary deal with Turkey on Tuesday, a move that Israeli analyst Colonel (res.) Eran Lerman described as 'very troubling' for Israeli security. Lerman, vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told The Jerusalem Post that the approval could threaten Israel's ability to develop underwater infrastructure connections, including a project to connect its electricity grid to Cyprus and Greece. The deal, originally agreed upon by the Tripoli-based western Libyan government, was approved by the eastern legislature, marking a shift in regional alignments as Khalifa Haftar's forces break a boycott of Ankara that had been in place since 2020. Lerman warned that the development could create more serious maritime security challenges, noting that Turkey maintains a significant naval presence in the Mediterranean and has asserted claims under the Mavi Vatan doctrine. He also expressed concern that Egypt might be moving toward accepting the Turkish position, which would be 'highly problematic' from an Israeli perspective. The article notes that Israel's ports handle 98% of the country's import and export volume, and the Houthis already pose a threat to the Eilat port.