US envoy makes unannounced visit to 'Israel' after Lebanon
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US mediator Amos Hochstein goes to occupied Palestine the same night he concluded his meetings in Lebanon without making any announcement regarding his trip.
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US envoy Amos Hochstein meeting with Israeli energy ministry Karine Elharrar
US mediator in the indirect talks between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation on the demarcation of the maritime borders in the Mediterranean Sea, Amos Hochstein, arrived in occupied Palestine in an announced visit following his meeting with Lebanese officials across the border on Monday.
The US official landed in occupied Palestine late Monday, and the matter was first reported by Walla! on Tuesday morning.
Hochstein is set to meet with two Israeli officials in the occupation's energy ministry, the foreign ministry, and the National Security Council. He reportedly already had a discreet meeting with Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayyad reportedly said on Sunday that Hochstein brought "a new proposal to the Lebanese officials, and he told me that it was positive and denied any rumors about joint excavations between Lebanon and Israel."
Reports on the meeting indicated that the US mediator would be delivering "Israel's" answer to a Lebanese proposal for full control over the Qana gas field in exchange for Beirut dropping its claims on the Karish gas field.
A Lebanese diplomatic source later said Lebanon "rejected an Israeli offer to give Beirut part of Block 8 north of Line 23," in exchange for "Israel's relinquishment of the Qana gas field."
The source told the Russian news agency, Sputnik, that "the Israeli offer includes 'Israel's' relinquishment of the Qana field in return for Line 23, minus an area that must be ceded located north of the line, specifically the southwestern part of Block 8."
"The Israeli offer was rejected by Beirut," he said. "Lebanon stuck to its right in the Qana field and refused to give up any square meter in Block 8."
Hochstein said Monday he "remained optimistic" on the two sides making progress toward a deal, saying he looked forward to returning to the region to make a "final arrangement" on the issue that led to regional tensions between Beirut and "Tel Aviv" with threats of military escalation on both sides.
Hochstein came to Lebanon carrying an Israeli proposal in response to a Lebanese demarcation proposal sent to "Tel Aviv" in June, marking his second visit to Beirut in two months.
The US envoy met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikatim, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the presidential palace in Baabda.
Lebanon is looking to clinch "a deal that preserves its rights and its wealth and that could provide, as soon negotiations are over, an opportunity to revitalize the economy," Aoun said ahead of Monday's meeting.
As Hochstein landed in the country, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon military media published a video that displayed the coordinates of the Israeli occupation's gas rigs off the coasts of occupied Palestine in a clear message to "Tel Aviv".
The video showed footage of the drillship and the floating production unit alongside information pertaining to the specifics of their geolocation, giving their coordinates and information regarding the origin and details of the ships at sea based on the flags they bear. Moreover, the video displayed the exact distance of each ship from Lebanese shores.
The video was entitled: "[You are] in our crosshair... stalling is not beneficial."
