Israel is opposed to a month deal between Libya and Turkey, which defines maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean, said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, adding that this deal is unlikely to lead to a conflict with Turkey.

The deal between Ankara and Tripoli defines the corridor of maritime borders between Libya and Turkey, potentially paving the way for oil and gas exploration, Reuters reported. Greece, which is a close ally of Israel and has disagreements with Turkey on a number of issues, called the agreement an absurdity, as it ignores the presence of the Greek island of Crete between the coasts of Turkey and Libya.

Nicosia said PM Benjamin Netanyahu told the President of Cyprus last Friday that the maritime deal should be declared "illegal."

When asked to confirm this message, Katz said: "That is the official position of Israel. But that doesn’t mean we are sending battleships to confront Turkey."