Israel's Supreme Court on Sunday threw out four legal challenges to a landmark maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon, clearing a major hurdle for the deal that could mark a major breakthrough in relations between the two countries.
The court did not immediately release its reasons for rejecting the challenges, which were submitted by an influential conservative policy group and an ultranationalist Israeli politician, among others. The court's ruling paves the way for the agreement to be given final approval by Israel's the government, a step expected later this week.
Critics of the deal who had appealed to the court said the current interim government should not be allowed to change Israel’s maritime border or make such weighty, strategic decisions without an electoral mandate.