Mikati says US guarantees will protect border deal if Netanyahu wins elections

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Wednesday that U.S. guarantees would protect a maritime border deal with Israel even if Israel's ex-PM Benjamin Netanyahu wins a majority in elections.

Veteran politician Netanyahu appeared on the cusp of returning to power Wednesday, with initial election results showing his alliance with the extreme right taking a narrow lead.

"We are close to a big victory," he told supporters of his right-wing Likud party at a rally early Wednesday.

Netanyahu had said he would “neutralize” the deal with Lebanon the same way he did the Oslo Accords.

“I will behave as I did with the Oslo Accords,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio.