Hochstein offers Lebanon economic incentives, promises swift return after Gaza truce

The senior energy advisor at the White House and US envoy, Amos Hochstein, spent a few hours in Beirut, during which he conducted a record number of meetings that ranged from headquarters to lounges at Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport on the round trip.

This article was originally published in and translated from the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Anbaa.

A Lebanese source told "Al-Anbaa" that "Hochstein has refocused US reference to decide on files concerning Lebanon, and his visit to it is closely related to the serious matter of calming in Gaza."

The source stated: "The main meeting that covered all topics was with the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, who has an absolute mandate from Hezbollah to negotiate on its behalf and reach suitable results, meaning that Hochstein's talks with Berri mean negotiations with the twin of Hezbollah, namely the party itself."

In addition, the source said that Hochstein "offered economic incentives related to US guarantees to import gas from Egypt and electricity from Jordan, i.e., an exception for Lebanon from the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act imposed on the Syrian government, and speeding up the exploration operations in the Lebanese sea."

"This was Hochstein's promise to encourage the demarcation of maritime borders. When demarcation occurred, none of the promises were fulfilled, so the Lebanese question was whether what applied to the sea promises would apply to the land?" the source added.

The source acknowledged Hochstein's diplomatic finesse and his ability to reach solutions and pointed out that "the points on which the US envoy relies to settle on the borders between Lebanon and Israel are primarily based on bilateral, reciprocal, and firm equations so that no party can evade them, fragment them, or violate them, which he approached during his rapid visit from the following angles:

First, work on convincing both parties (Israel and Hezbollah) of the size and strength of the threat posed by each to the other.

Second, both parties must understand that their common interest is to prevent the expansion of the war, which would mean a destructive regional war.

Third, inform the concerned parties that the displaced people cannot return to their homes without stopping the fighting and committing to it."

Furthermore, the source noted that "Hochstein, who has experience in negotiations, acquired it after the agreement on maritime demarcation. He reproduced the same negotiating method and equations he adopted in his maritime negotiation experience."

The source said, " he seeks to apply it to the land settlement, as in maritime demarcation, the pivot and weakness point for both parties were gas wells in the sea."

The source continued: "However, currently in the expected land agreement, the pivot and weakness point are the people on both sides of the borders, i.e., no return for the people without security and sustainable stability, which constitutes great pressure on Israel and Lebanon together."

Furthermore, the source confirmed that "Hochstein will not delay in returning to the region once the announcement of a truce in Gaza is made, to seize the opportunity and start negotiating rounds in Naqoura with US presence, as well as through shuttle rounds between Tel Aviv and Beirut."