Tuesday (October 11th): Israel-Lebanon Agreement

Amos Hochstein
Amos Hochstein

Name? Amos Hochstein

Westphalian identity? US American

Age? 49

Why is he in the news? Amos Hochstein is US President Biden’s Senior Advisor for Energy Security and responsible for reaching an agreement between Israel and Lebanon demarcating a disputed maritime border. The disagreement in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is about an area where Lebanon aims to explore natural gas and Israel is already producing natural gas in fields nearby.

Why do we care? Because Hochstein managed to please both sides and take into account Israeli and Lebanese interests. Lebanon can finally start drilling for gas and with this ease its energy and budgetary crisis (international companies had previously refused to begin the exploration process over security concerns in the absence of a deal). It is also part of Israel’s national security interest for Lebanon to exploit its own gas reserves and with this make itself independent from gas deliveries from Israel’s rival in the region, Iran. Lastly, this agreement will give Israel international recognition of a 5km long buoy-marked boundary it established in 2000 when its forces withdrew from Lebanon (without it becoming an international maritime border).

Why should you care? A deal that decreases the risk of another war in this world? Seems like we should all thank Amos Hochstein for his work. You should care 10/10 about successful diplomacy! 

Who else cares? President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. During her ongoing endeavours to find alternatives to Russian gas for the EU, von der Leyen signed an agreement with Israel back in June. The prospects of more Israeli gas after Hochstein brokered the agreement are a delight for the EU.

Any further comments? Ultimately, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, still has to agree to the deal. Lapid wants this to happen as soon as possible, given that the country will face its fifth election in two years on November 1st and that the opposition leader, former PM Netanyahu, has already condemned it.

Joshua Dario Hasenstab

General Coordinator