Maritime negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have stalled again despite recent reports saying the two countries reached a breakthrough on the matter, Israel Hayom has learned.
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An official involved in the talks said that "the subject is complicated," and estimated that the final decision on whether to compromise or opt for an escalation will be up to Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.
Amos Hochstein, the US diplomat mediating talks between Beirut and Jerusalem, arrived in Israel on Thursday to meet with National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata and the Israeli negotiating team.
Hochstein is expected to leave for Lebanon at the end of the week, where he will meet the country's President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri.
Last week, in a conversation with Prime Minister Yair Lapid, President Joe Biden stressed the need to resolve the dispute. It was his first direct statement on the matter and a possible indication of growing US fear that unless the negotiations are finalized, the matter will turn into a military conflict between Lebanon and Israel.
Earlier on Thursday, Energean – A London-listed oil company licensed by Israel to extract gas from a maritime field that is in part claimed by Lebanon – announced that it would begin operations within weeks.
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