Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid announced on Tuesday that Israel has agreed to a “historic” maritime deal with Lebanon.

Many senior Israeli officials slammed Lapid in the wake of the announcement. The Kohelet Policy Forum, an influential conservative think tank, has already filed an appeal against the deal to the Supreme Court.

Eugene Kontorovich, the forum’s director of international law, says that the agreement requires the Knesset’s approval. “The agreement to cede territory to Lebanon involves territory Israel has claimed as its sovereign territory,” he said. “This is the first time Israel has ceded territory over which it has declared sovereignty. This is the first time an Israeli government is ceding territory without the support of the Knesset, and the first time a minority government is doing so.”

“Transferring any national territory requires Knesset approval in Israeli law…the reason the government claims it must do this now – before elections or a Knesset vote – is that this is Hezbollah’s demand to prevent war. This means Hezbollah now overrides Israel’s democracy.”

In approving the deal, Lapid ignored the recommendation of Israel’s Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara that the deal be approved by the Knesset, Globes reported.

Baharav-Miara said at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that since the current government is a transitional government and the deal will be irreversible, the deal should be brought for a vote to the Knesset, adding that a Knesset vote would bolster the government’s position against appeals to the Supreme Court to block the deal.

However, according to Globes, Lapid rejected the attorney general’s position and decided to present the deal to the Knesset without allowing a vote on it.

Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that he will be submitting an appeal to the Supreme Court against the agreement. “In addition to the fact that this agreement is an embarrassing capitulation, it is also an illegal agreement,” Ben-Gvir stated. “Basic Law: Referendum requires that the transfer of territory from the State’s sovereignty to foreign sovereignty must pass a referendum, or pass with the approval of 80 MKs.”

“Lapid and [Defense Minister Benny] Gantz are trying to quickly pass the agreement, which includes the transfer of sovereign areas from Israel to Lebanon, by means of a decision by a caretaker government on the eve of elections. We will not allow this underhanded opportunism to take place, and we will submit an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court, demanding that they stop this illegal agreement – immediately.”

Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also attacked the deal, saying that “behind the backs of Israeli citizens and the Knesset, Lapid and Gantz surrendered to Hezbollah’s blackmail. They are transferring Israel’s strategic assets to Hezbollah in a liquidation sale.”

“Hezbollah will use the billions from the gas to arm itself with missiles and rockets against Israeli citizens and Iran will position itself against Rosh Hanikra and against Israel’s gas reserves. This weak and amateur transitional government has no mandate to make such a dangerous decision, just days before elections.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)