ISTANBUL

Former US special envoy Amos Hochstein said that a land border agreement between Lebanon and Israel is achievable, pointing to the 2022 maritime border deal and the recent Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as proof that such a demarcation “is within reach.”

“We can get to a deal, but there has to be political willingness,” Hochstein told the UK-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Thursday.

He reflected on the maritime agreement, saying: “The agreement of the maritime boundary was unique because we’d been trying to work on it for over 10 years.”

In October 2022, Lebanon and Israel signed the text of a maritime border agreement, though no joint signing ceremony took place.

The two countries engaged in indirect negotiations brokered by the US to delineate maritime boundaries in a contested area of the eastern Mediterranean Sea spanning approximately 860 square kilometers (332 square miles). The region is believed to hold significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Hochstein noted a “provision that mandated the beginning of talks on the land boundary,” suggesting a pathway forward. “I believe with concerted effort they can be done quickly,” he said, reiterating: “It is within reach.”

“The reality of today and the reality of 2022 are different. Hezbollah had a lock on the political system in Lebanon the way it doesn’t today," he added.

Addressing foreign influence, Hochstein asserted that Israel should not impose its military will on Lebanon. "No one should. This is a moment for Lebanon to make decisions for itself.”

Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activities, despite the ceasefire that was reached in November. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of over 200 victims and injuries to at least 500 others since last November.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.