The newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" learned from well-informed political sources that the American mediator Amos Hookstein addressed the presidential file on the sidelines of his mission, which favors a diplomatic solution over a military one to halt the military confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel. Hookstein asked Nabih Berri about the outcome of efforts aimed at easing the presidential deadlock by electing a president for the republic. Berri responded that he had invited parliamentary blocs to dialogue since last August under the parliament's dome, hoping that they might reach a consensus to facilitate the election, but "we have not received the required response."
Berri added that there is a new initiative, and "I was the first to welcome it," referring to the initiative launched by the "National Moderation" bloc, which is working to promote it in parliament, and "I am waiting for reactions to it in order to act accordingly." Berri and Hookstein agreed not to link the election of the president with the ongoing war in Gaza or the one igniting in southern Lebanon.
The American mediator hinted that Berri has not closed the door on discussing a consensus candidate and advised the need for dialogue with him, as he shows flexibility and openness. The sources noted Hookstein's comment, in response to a question, that the truce in Gaza may not automatically extend to Lebanon. They told "Asharq Al-Awsat" that what he meant by this is that Washington sees Hezbollah's support for Hamas as part of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation initiated against Israeli settlements on October 7th.
