US energy envoy Amos Hochstein has delivered his written draft agreement for a mutual maritime border to both Lebanon and Israel, according to a report Saturday night by Israel’s KAN News public broadcaster.
מתקרבים להסכם: הצעת המתווך האמריקני על הגבול הימי עם לבנון נשלחה גם לישראל. הקבינט המדיני-ביטחוני ייתכנס בחמישי – עד אז צפוייה להימסר התשובה הלבנונית. מחר לפיד צפוי להתייחס למגעים. @gilicohen10 עם הפרטים#חדשותהשבת pic.twitter.com/dT6zf3ibqZ
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) October 1, 2022
Hochstein submitted the proposed agreement on Saturday to both sides. In Lebanon, the draft was handed to President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati by US Ambassador Dorothy Shea, Naharnet reported.
“The US proposal includes a total separation between maritime and land demarcation and an agreement that any sea point agreed on would not later affect the demarcation of the land border,” Al Jadeed TV reported Saturday.
The Lebanese response will be made as soon as possible in preparation for the next step,” a presidential source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon’s Iranian proxy Hezbollah, said in televised remarks that the submission of the draft agreement was a “very important step.”
He added that the decision on the agreement would be in the hands of the Lebanese government. “These are crucial days in the issue and we are waiting for the position of the leadership to become clear, we hope for a happy ending that will benefit Lebanon,” he said.
Israel’s political-security cabinet is set to meet Thursday – by which time, Lebanon’s answer should be received – to discuss the draft.
