The US envoy for Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, on Thursday outlined a draft agreement on the Lebanese-Israeli land border, which he said, if implemented, would reduce tensions between the two countries and restore stability to Lebanon.
It is a step-by-step agreement, which Mr. Hochstein outlined during a lecture he gave at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on the subject of “Growing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel on the Lebanese-Israeli border”.
“I don't expect permanent peace between Hezbollah and Israel”, said Mr. Hochstein, before adding: “But if we can reach a set of agreements, remove some of the grounds for conflict and establish recognized borders for the first time between the two countries, we would have made substantial progress”, he added.
Mr. Hochstein had played a fundamental role in the delimitation of the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon at the end of 2022, after two years of negotiations.
He said that a multi-stage Lebanese-Israeli agreement should initially enable the inhabitants of the northern regions of Israel and southern Lebanon to return home.
Such a stage would, in his view, require a consolidation of the Lebanese army's capacities, through the enlistment of soldiers, and the training and re-equipping of military forces.
The second phase of the agreement, he said, would be economic, involving international aid and investment in Lebanon.
Mr. Hochstein highlighted the electricity sector, pointing to a solution being considered to improve the distribution of electricity. He mentioned a project that would enable “electricity to be supplied 12 hours a day, but in the short term”, without however giving any further details.
The final phase of the agreement, he said, would focus on resolving contentious issues at the Lebanese-Israeli land border.
Such an agreement, he insisted, could contribute to restoring stability in Lebanon at both political and economic levels, “which will help reduce Iran's influence in the country”.
It is a step-by-step agreement, which Mr. Hochstein outlined during a lecture he gave at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on the subject of “Growing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel on the Lebanese-Israeli border”.
“I don't expect permanent peace between Hezbollah and Israel”, said Mr. Hochstein, before adding: “But if we can reach a set of agreements, remove some of the grounds for conflict and establish recognized borders for the first time between the two countries, we would have made substantial progress”, he added.
Mr. Hochstein had played a fundamental role in the delimitation of the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon at the end of 2022, after two years of negotiations.
He said that a multi-stage Lebanese-Israeli agreement should initially enable the inhabitants of the northern regions of Israel and southern Lebanon to return home.
Such a stage would, in his view, require a consolidation of the Lebanese army's capacities, through the enlistment of soldiers, and the training and re-equipping of military forces.
The second phase of the agreement, he said, would be economic, involving international aid and investment in Lebanon.
Mr. Hochstein highlighted the electricity sector, pointing to a solution being considered to improve the distribution of electricity. He mentioned a project that would enable “electricity to be supplied 12 hours a day, but in the short term”, without however giving any further details.
The final phase of the agreement, he said, would focus on resolving contentious issues at the Lebanese-Israeli land border.
Such an agreement, he insisted, could contribute to restoring stability in Lebanon at both political and economic levels, “which will help reduce Iran's influence in the country”.
This Is Beirut
Comments