Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz speaks during an election campaign rally in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Israel, February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Thursday evening that the recent agreement to establish a maritime boundary line between Israel and Lebanon would bolster stability and “reduces the chances of escalation.”

Speaking with Israel’s Channel 13, Gantz argued that the US-mediated accord maintained Israel’s security interests on the coastline and in the sea, as well as securing the country’s relative share of profits from any natural gas that may be found in the offshore Qana field, where Lebanon is beginning exploration via the French energy major Total. The Karish field, the second addressed by the agreement, remains in Israeli control.

Gantz, who put troops on Israel’s northern border on alert when the deal seemed to be wavering last week, added that “from an economic perspective, we got what we needed to.”

He dismissed charges — some of which were aired by opposition chief Benjamin Netanyahu — that the accord involved any capitulation to Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy group based in Lebanon, which has repeatedly threatened Israel over developing any offshore energy assets before reaching an understanding with Beirut.

“This agreement is good, it is right, it increases the stability of the security situation and thus reduces the chances of escalation,” the defense chief said.

“I don’t think it’s a historic agreement etc.,” he continued, shying away from a descriptor used by Prime Minister Yair Lapid and negotiators on both sides of the aisle in reference to the deal. While announcing the accord’s approval on Thursday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun pointedly stressed that “no normalization with Israel” was involved.

Nonetheless, Gantz suggested it may mark some incremental progress with Lebanon, with which Israel has no diplomatic ties, as the agreement clearly identifies Israel as a party — a deviation from an agreement with Lebanon reached some 20 years past.

“I suggest being happy with this achievement, not to rely on it, to continue being strong, stand for our own,” he said.

A survey aired on Israel’s Channel 13 on Thursday found significant public uncertainty about the maritime accord, with 43% of some 800 respondents saying they did not know whether it was good. Those who expressed an opinion seemed evenly split, with 28% determining that it was good and 29% believing the opposite.

Additionally, 47% of those polled believe the agreement should be brought to the Knesset for a vote, rather than only being approved by Lapid’s caretaker government, which is facing elections in two weeks.

When asked about the possibility of bringing the agreement to a vote in the Knesset, which will have the opportunity to review the agreement but is not legally required to sign off on it, Gantz argued that it could not happen as the opposition, led by Netanyahu, does not act in a “stately manner” that would allow them to rise above partisan differences.

“If it was possible to convince Knesset members from the right to the left, from all sides of the house, that a deal between two countries, a deal that links an enemy country to an agreement with us is a good thing for the State of Israel,” he said, “we could consider things anew.”