Israel denounces Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum

This maritime zone challenges the maritime jurisdictions of the Greek and Cyprus surrounding islands such as Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus.

By JNS

Jerusalem “strongly condemns” the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the Maritime Jurisdiction Memorandum between Turkey and Libya, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

“This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of our close allies in the region. Regretfully, once again, we see Turkey working to destabilize the east Mediterranean region,” the ministry tweeted.

Speaking at a parliamentary group meeting of his Justice and Development (AK) Party on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he “hopes this important decision will be beneficial,” according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.

Ankara’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement the previous day applauding Libya’s legislative body’s decision.

“The Memorandum of Understanding safeguards the mutual rights and interests of both countries based on international law and the principle of equity,” while deepening the relations between the two countries, the Turkish ministry said.

Turkey initially signed the Maritime Jurisdiction Memorandum with Libya in 2019.

However, a parliamentary resolution the following year in Benghazi rejected the agreement.

The latest decision, approved unanimously by the Libyan House of Representatives on Tuesday, annulled the 2020 resolution.

The aim of the memorandum, officially named the Memorandum of Understanding on the Delimitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas, is to delineate new maritime boundaries that connect the coasts of Turkey and Libya.

This maritime zone challenges the maritime jurisdictions of the Greek and Cyprus surrounding islands such as Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus.

European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a joint statement on Oct. 20 expressing “regret” over the move and reaffirming the European Union’s “solidarity” with Greece and Cyprus.

The E.U.’s position on this matter “remains unchanged” since 2019, the statement read.

“This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void,” the presidents added.

‘Greece and Israel represent ancient, free civilizations.’

Last week, the Greek parliament launched an Israel Caucus, deepening a historic partnership among eastern Mediterranean allies and pushing back against regional threats.

The move, and a back-to-back one to follow in Cyprus, comes amid growing relations and strategic cooperation between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus focused on energy integration, defense cooperation, and regional security, and serves as a counterweight to friction with neighboring historic rival Turkey.

“Greece and Israel represent ancient, free civilizations rooted in Athens and Jerusalem, sharing common values and regional security interests,” said Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Theoharis.

“The inauguration of the Israel Allies Caucus in the Greek parliament constitutes a significant milestone in the deep-rooted friendship of our two countries, connecting lawmakers with faith communities and practically turning faith into action to address shared regional and global challenges.”