American mediator Amos Hochstein at a press conference in Baabda on Oct. 27, 2022. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — The American envoy Amos Hochstein is expected in Lebanon on Wednesday for a two-day visit, the US Embassy announced in a statement. The statement specified that the senior official will conduct a follow-up on the agreement regarding the delineation of the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, which was signed in October 2022.
"Senior Advisor to President Biden Amos Hochstein will travel to Lebanon August 30-31 to follow-up on the historic October 2022 Maritime Boundary Agreement. Senior Advisor Hochstein will also discuss areas of mutual and regional concern," the statement noted, without providing further details.
According to Lebanese media outlets, Hochstein, who was responsible for indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel concerning the demarcation of their common maritime boundary, may also address the delimitation of the land border between Lebanon and the state of Israel during this visit. This topic has caused divisions among the Lebanese political class, with Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, opposing any negotiations on this matter.
Contacted on Wednesday morning by L'Orient Today for more information about the American envoy's visit and his agenda, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Lebanon declined to comment.