Report: Hochstein seeking gas solution that gives impression Israel has won

U.S. border demarcation mediator Amos Hochstein is studying with the French “a solution format that would give the impression that Israel has won,” a Lebanese media report said on Friday.

Al-Akhbar newspaper added that such a solution might come at the expense of the profits of the gas drilling companies, seeing as “Lebanon will not accept to give up any part of the Qana field nor any commercial or operational partnership at the level of the exploring and drilling companies.”

The daily added that Hochstein held a video meeting Thursday with the Israeli negotiating team. He is also maintaining communication with Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab seeing as he is a representative of President Michel Aoun in this file.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea is meanwhile communicating with the advisers of the parliament speaker and the caretaker PM over the latest developments.

Al-Akhbar added that U.S. President Joe Biden has called Israeli PM Yair Lapid over the demarcation file to “send a message to Lebanon that Washington is committed to exert strenuous efforts to finalize the agreement and that Biden is personally interfering to help Hochstein complete his mission.”