U.S. envoy in Lebanon-Israel maritime talks says expects deal to hold even if top leaders change

U.S. Senior Advisor for Energy Security Amos Hochstein speaks after meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Aoun (not pictured) at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon October 27, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Amos Hochstein, the U.S. envoy who negotiated a maritime deal between Lebanon and Israel, said on Thursday he expects the agreement to hold even amid changes in leadership in both countries.

Hochstein referred to both upcoming elections in Israel on Nov. 1 and the end of Lebanese President Michel Aoun's term on Oct. 31, saying the agreement should be kept up "regardless of who is elected very soon as next president of Lebanon."

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; editing by John Stonestreet)