Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has directed fresh criticism at Lebanon over the maritime border dispute.

Washington has been brokering talks aimed at demarcating the frontier and allowing both sides to ramp up gas exploration.

U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein has confirmed that what he heard from Lebanese officials in his meetings with them on Tuesday will enable the sea border negotiations with Israel to “go forward.”

Ex-MP Faisal Karami, one of many pro-Syria politicians who lost their seats in the May parliamentary elections, announced Tuesday that he has filed an appeal against the results of the elections before the Constitutional Council.

“These elections were marred by major flaws, several violations, frenzied financial spending and the biggest operation of buying consciences that Lebanon has witnessed, not to mention the incitement in the media and the unprecedented campaigns,” Karami said at a press conference.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced Tuesday that what U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein heard from President Michel Aoun regarding sea border demarcation is “agreed on by all Lebanese,” adding that Lebanon is “keen on preserving stability.”

Berri voiced his remarks in a 70-minute meeting with Hochstein in Ain el-Tineh.

U.S. envoy mediating between Lebanon and Israel over their disputed maritime border will meet on Tuesday with a delegation of "Change" MPs at the U.S. Embassy in Awkar.

The MPs will convey to Amos Hochstein that Lebanon has the right to Line 29, MP Ibrahim Mneimneh said.

U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein stressed to caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad in their meeting on Monday that Washington still supports Lebanon’s bid to import gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan, media reports said on Tuesday.

Hochstein asked that Lebanon sign the agreement with Egypt and promised that the U.S. would send the letter of guarantees that would exempt Cairo from the Caesar Act sanctions, al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed to U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein on Tuesday that "Lebanon's higher interest requires starting oil drilling without giving up Lebanon's right to all its resources."

Hochstein, a senior adviser for energy security at the U.S. State Department, had arrived in Beirut on Monday following an invitation by the Lebanese government. The invitation came after Israel set up a gas rig at its designated location at the Karish field, which Israel says is part of its U.N.-recognized exclusive economic zone. Lebanon insists it is in a disputed area.

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein received Tuesday Lebanon’s response to his proposal regarding the demarcation of the sea border with Israel, Al-Jazeera TV reported.

“The response did not include any demand for Line 29, which includes the Karish field,” Al-Jazeera said.

The Lebanese pound hit a new low against the U.S. dollar on the black market Tuesday, crashing below 30,000 to the greenback.

The exchange rate, which is unofficial but applies to most transactions, had dropped from a record high of LBP 38,000 to LBP 27,300, last month, after Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh issued a statement saying banks would resume exchange operations at the Sayrafa platform rate to “all the holders of Lebanese pounds, be them citizens or institutions, who want to exchange them for U.S. dollars.”

The U.S. envoy mediating between Lebanon and Israel over their disputed maritime border met Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Tuesday in Beirut, the president’s office said . The talks focused on ways of reaching a solution amid rising tensions along the tense boundary.

The meeting was held in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, and General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.