Amid the tension in the political scene, which is expected to worsen, and in light of the stalled negotiations regarding the government file that have returned to square one, along with the country entering the presidential election cycle without agreement on a candidate who enjoys the consensus of the main political forces and is qualified to be elected president, thus having the capability to save the country from hell, the only thing on the rise is the unregulated dollar, soaring beyond all limits and crushing prices of food, consumer goods, fuel, and medicine, which will also become without limits. This foreshadows an imminent social catastrophe if officials do not grasp the severity of the crisis.
All of this is taking place against the backdrop of strikes across most public sectors and services, the latest being the strike of Ogero employees amid failures in landline and mobile communications as well as internet services across most Lebanese regions. However, the communication lines regarding the maritime border demarcation negotiations appear to remain open, as the American mediator in the maritime border demarcation file with Israel, Amos Hochstein, is set to arrive in Beirut the day after tomorrow, Thursday, to convey the Israeli responses to the Lebanese proposals. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, he carries positive signals this time that may assist the concerned parties in signing the demarcation agreement, allowing for the investment of the gas and oil resources of both countries in areas adjacent to their territorial waters.
Sources indicated to "Al-Anbaa" that the draft agreement Hochstein is bringing includes the entire Karish field for Israel in exchange for Lebanon retaining full rights to the Qana field, albeit with some amendments to line 23, which may turn into a meandering line at the intersection of Israeli borders as a condition from Israel due to the ruling coalition's conflict with Likud over this point and its use in the electoral campaign for the upcoming legislative elections in Israel. Additionally, according to the sources, there is urgency from the Lebanese side, specifically from President Michel Aoun's team, to sign the agreement before his term ends on October 31. The question remains how Hochstein will reconcile the Lebanese and Israeli conditions.
