Amos Hochstein's trip comes just days after media cited Israeli officials as saying that the longstanding border dispute was “on the verge of a solution.”
An Israeli warship sails near one of Israel's offshore natural gas rigs.
Photo courtesy of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.
(July 31, 2022 / JNS) U.S. Senior Adviser for Energy Security Amos Hochstein was due in Beirut on Sunday as part of an ongoing effort to mediate indirect talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at resolving a longstanding maritime border dispute, according to a State Department statement.
During his visit, Hochstein will “discuss sustainable solutions to Lebanon’s energy crisis, including the Biden administration’s commitment to facilitating negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on the maritime boundary. Reaching a resolution is both necessary and possible, but can only be done through negotiations and diplomacy,” the statement read.
The trip comes just days after local media cited Israeli officials as saying that the dispute was “on the verge of a solution,” and that Hochstein would present a draft compromise proposal enabling both countries to drill for gas in the contested Karish field.
“In Israel, the declarations by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are being viewed as an attempt to frame the latest development, so that if an agreement is reached on the maritime dispute, it will be [seen as being] due to his declarations and actions,” the officials told Kan.
Nasrallah last week threatened war if Israel begins extracting gas from its offshore Karish field in the absence of a deal with Beirut.
“If the extraction of oil and gas from Karish begins in September before Lebanon obtains its right, we would be heading to a ‘problem,’ and we’ll do anything to achieve our objective,” Nasrallah told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen TV channel, according to Lebanese news site Naharnet.
Previous U.S.-mediated talks failed to produce an agreement, especially after Lebanon pushed its claim in the disputed maritime zone from a boundary known as “Line 23” further south to “Line 29,” adding around 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) to its claim, including part of Karish.
On July 2, the Israel Defense Forces shot down three unmanned aerial vehicles sent by Hezbollah from Lebanon towards the Karish platform, which is located some 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Haifa
(July 31, 2022 / JNS) U.S. Senior Adviser for Energy Security Amos Hochstein was due in Beirut on Sunday as part of an ongoing effort to mediate indirect talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at resolving a longstanding maritime border dispute, according to a State Department statement.
During his visit, Hochstein will “discuss sustainable solutions to Lebanon’s energy crisis, including the Biden administration’s commitment to facilitating negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on the maritime boundary. Reaching a resolution is both necessary and possible, but can only be done through negotiations and diplomacy,” the statement read.
The trip comes just days after local media cited Israeli officials as saying that the dispute was “on the verge of a solution,” and that Hochstein would present a draft compromise proposal enabling both countries to drill for gas in the contested Karish field.
“In Israel, the declarations by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are being viewed as an attempt to frame the latest development, so that if an agreement is reached on the maritime dispute, it will be [seen as being] due to his declarations and actions,” the officials told Kan.
Nasrallah last week threatened war if Israel begins extracting gas from its offshore Karish field in the absence of a deal with Beirut.
“If the extraction of oil and gas from Karish begins in September before Lebanon obtains its right, we would be heading to a ‘problem,’ and we’ll do anything to achieve our objective,” Nasrallah told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen TV channel, according to Lebanese news site Naharnet.
Previous U.S.-mediated talks failed to produce an agreement, especially after Lebanon pushed its claim in the disputed maritime zone from a boundary known as “Line 23” further south to “Line 29,” adding around 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) to its claim, including part of Karish.
On July 2, the Israel Defense Forces shot down three unmanned aerial vehicles sent by Hezbollah from Lebanon towards the Karish platform, which is located some 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Haifa
Hezbollah airs video of Israeli barges in disputed gas field
By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
FILE - An Israeli Navy vessel patrols in the Mediterranean Sea, while Lebanon and Israel are being called to resume indirect talks over their disputed maritime border with U.S. mediation, off the southern town of Naqoura, Monday, June 6, 2022. The Israeli military on Saturday, July 2, 2022 said it shot down three unmanned aircraft launched by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah heading toward an area where an Israeli gas platform was recently installed in the Mediterranean Sea.
By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
FILE - An Israeli Navy vessel patrols in the Mediterranean Sea, while Lebanon and Israel are being called to resume indirect talks over their disputed maritime border with U.S. mediation, off the southern town of Naqoura, Monday, June 6, 2022. The Israeli military on Saturday, July 2, 2022 said it shot down three unmanned aircraft launched by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah heading toward an area where an Israeli gas platform was recently installed in the Mediterranean Sea.
(AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari, File)
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Sunday aired drone footage of Israeli ships in a disputed gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting the tension at the center of U.S.-mediated maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel.
The footage was aired as the U.S. energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, was landing in Beirut to mediate ongoing talks between Lebanon and Israel over their sea borders. Lebanon claims the Karish gas field is disputed territory under ongoing maritime border negotiations, whereas Israel says it lies within its internationally recognized economic waters.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in a statement Friday said Hochstein will inform Lebanon of Israel’s response to Lebanon’s June proposal, adding that he was optimistic about reaching an agreement soon.
There was no immediate response to the video from Israel.
The footage aired on the Iran-backed party and militia’s Al-Manar television, showed barges from reconnaissance drones over the Karish gas field and their coordinates. It ended with footage of a rocket with the words “within range” in Arabic and Hebrew.
The Israeli military earlier this month shot down three Hezbollah unarmed drones flying over Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati criticized Hezbollah, saying the move could pose risks to the country.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an interview last week said that the militant group can locate and strike Karish and any other Israeli gas field.
Following his last visit in June, Hochstein told U.S.-funded Al-Hurra television that the Lebanese government took “a very strong step forward” by presenting a more united approach, and anticipated that there could be progress to reach a settlement.
The two countries, which have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948, both claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon hopes to exploit offshore gas reserves as it grapples with the worst economic crisis in its modern history.
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Sunday aired drone footage of Israeli ships in a disputed gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting the tension at the center of U.S.-mediated maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel.
The footage was aired as the U.S. energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, was landing in Beirut to mediate ongoing talks between Lebanon and Israel over their sea borders. Lebanon claims the Karish gas field is disputed territory under ongoing maritime border negotiations, whereas Israel says it lies within its internationally recognized economic waters.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in a statement Friday said Hochstein will inform Lebanon of Israel’s response to Lebanon’s June proposal, adding that he was optimistic about reaching an agreement soon.
There was no immediate response to the video from Israel.
The footage aired on the Iran-backed party and militia’s Al-Manar television, showed barges from reconnaissance drones over the Karish gas field and their coordinates. It ended with footage of a rocket with the words “within range” in Arabic and Hebrew.
The Israeli military earlier this month shot down three Hezbollah unarmed drones flying over Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati criticized Hezbollah, saying the move could pose risks to the country.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an interview last week said that the militant group can locate and strike Karish and any other Israeli gas field.
Following his last visit in June, Hochstein told U.S.-funded Al-Hurra television that the Lebanese government took “a very strong step forward” by presenting a more united approach, and anticipated that there could be progress to reach a settlement.
The two countries, which have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948, both claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon hopes to exploit offshore gas reserves as it grapples with the worst economic crisis in its modern history.
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