The American envoy Amos Hochstein during his last visit to Ain al-Tinta on Jan. 11. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — US envoy Amos Hochstein underscored the urgent need for negotiations between Hezbollah and Israel in a recent interview with CBS News, encouraging diplomatic engagement to ease the ongoing tensions at the Lebanon-Israel border.
"I won't deny that the current status quo can't last forever, and that's why we need to ensure we can reach a diplomatic resolution," he remarked, acknowledging an already apparent "front" between the two warring sides.
Since Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Israel's war with Hamas began in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah has been targeting Israeli military positions. When asked about his ability to negotiate a land border between Lebanon and Israel, Hochstein emphasized the priority of "ending hostilities on both sides," pointing out that numerous civilians have fled the fighting along the border.
The latest Lebanese Health Ministry report states that 83,117 people have been displaced from southern Lebanon due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, since Oct. 8. On the Israeli side of the border, 40,000 civilians were evacuated from high-risk areas.
In the interview, Hochstein also discussed post-Oct. 7 efforts toward ensuring that Israelis and Lebanese can safely reside in their homes.
"This isn't just about achieving a cease-fire but entails a more complex aspect of negotiations aimed at ensuring the Lebanese army's presence in the region and intensifying security measures for civilians. Once we've achieved this, we will need to start considering how to mark a real border between the two countries," Hochstein added.
The US envoy, known for securing the maritime border agreement between Lebanon and Israel in October 2022, has been active in facilitating discussions on contentious territorial issues between the two nations. Since the outbreak of war in Gaza, Hochstein has increased his visits to the region, signaling ongoing efforts to mediate the tense situation.