The unplanned arrival of American envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut on Tuesday injected some life into a stagnant local political scene, which has been at a standstill since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

To the Lebanese officials who have taken on a passive role since Hezbollah decided to support Hamas by opening up the southern front, Amos Hochstein reiterated the need to “fully” implement Resolution 1701. He simultaneously assured them that Washington does not wish to see the conflict between Hamas and Israel spread to Lebanon.

“Our concern is to prevent the escalation of the Gaza conflict into Lebanon. Ensuring calm along the southern border is of utmost importance to the United States and should be the primary focus for both Lebanon and Israel,” he said, following his meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri. He further added, “This is the essence of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Let’s fully implement it.”

These were the two main messages conveyed by the American envoy, who met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri and head of the caretaker government Najib Mikati, in the presence of caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Deputy Speaker of the House Elias Bou Saab, Commander-in-Chief of the Army General Joseph Aoun and the former Director of General Security, Abbas Ibrahim.

Alongside the United States Ambassador, Dorothy Shea, Hochstein, who played a pivotal role in delineating the Lebanese-Israeli maritime border, stated that he came to Beirut because “Lebanon and its people hold significant importance for the United States, especially during these difficult times.”

According to corroborating sources, the purpose of the visit was to discuss ways of preventing Lebanon from being drawn into the spiral of violence that threatens to spread dangerously to its territory, while a ceasefire in Gaza seems difficult to achieve. This would explain his meeting with General Abbas Ibrahim, whom he visited in his office.

According to media sources, General Ibrahim, who is regarded as a man of mediation and negotiation, is carrying out, or at least being asked to carry out, a mission on two levels: with Hezbollah, to prevent Lebanon from being drawn into the Gaza war, and with Hamas, to help free the hostages taken by this group during the 7 October attack on the Israeli kibbutz. Hamas, however, denied that General Ibrahim had mediated with it in any way, according to the pan-Arab Al-Arabiya channel.

However, it is worth noting that in May 2022, the former director of General Security mediated between the United States and Syria for the release of several American hostages held by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Amos Hochstein referred to his conversation with Nabih Berri as “positive,” during which he offered his condolences for the victims of Israeli attacks. He further mentioned that he informed the Speaker of Parliament about the steps taken by the United States to prevent an escalation in the Gaza conflict.

At the Serail

Next, the American envoy visited caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati who had meanwhile met with Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh. When asked about what he intends to convey to the American envoy, he replied, “Our positions are unified. We call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and we want the bloodshed to stop and for there to be pressure on Israel to cease its attacks in the south.”

The Serail later issued a statement saying that Hochstein told the Prime Minister that he had come to Lebanon “at the request of President Joe Biden to discuss the situation in South Lebanon and that through his discussions he found that neither Lebanon nor Israel wanted an escalation.” “Hochstein called on both parties to respect and fully implement Resolution 1701. He also underscored Washington’s support for the army to help the state extend its authority over all Lebanese territory,” the press release said, adding that the American envoy informed his hosts that “discussions are currently focused on establishing a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.”

In the evening, the US Embassy explained on its X account the purpose of Hochstein’s visit, as well as the messages he conveyed to the Lebanese officials, which were in line with the Serail’s statement.

“Senior Advisor to President Biden visited Lebanon today and met with several senior leaders. He conveyed that the United States cares deeply for Lebanon and its people during this difficult time. He extended our deepest condolences for the civilian lives lost,” wrote the Embassy, before adding, “He heard the concerns of Lebanese officials and informed them of what the United States is doing to address them. He reiterated that the United States does not want to see the conflict in Gaza spread and emphasized that restoring calm along the southern border should be the highest priority for both Lebanon and Israel. He reminded all interlocutors that UN Security Resolution 1701 is the best mechanism to achieve that aim and called for it to be fully implemented.”

According to the provisions of Resolution 1701, the whole region south of the Litani River should be under the exclusive authority of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL.

The militias’ response was swift. While Hochstein continued his tour meeting with Lebanese officials, four rockets were launched from the area of Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon towards northern Israel, prompting sirens to sound off. Around 20 rockets, launched from Lebanon, also targeted the occupied part of the Golan Heights.