STORY: U.S. envoy says solution to Hezbollah-Israel conflict "within our grasp"
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 19, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 20, 2024
LENGTH: 0:00:57
LOCATION: Beirut
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arriving for a meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
2. various of the meeting
3. SOUNDBITE (English): AMOS HOCHSTEIN, U.S. envoy
4. various of buildings destroyed by an Israeli strike on the Bekaa village of Yehmor

STORYLINE:

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said on Tuesday that a solution to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is close, adding that he has held constructive talks with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

"It is now within our grasp... As the window is now, I hope the coming days yield a resolute decision," he said following his meeting with Berri in Beirut.

SOUNDBITE (English): AMOS HOCHSTEIN, U.S. envoy
"We have continued to narrow the gaps through the discussions over the last few weeks and specifically today we continued to significantly narrow the gaps. So the meeting was very constructive and very helpful." 

He also met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who emphasized that his government's priority is to stop the aggression against Lebanon and to preserve the country's sovereignty over all Lebanese territories.
  
Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, a day after Hezbollah reportedly gave a positive response to a U.S. draft proposal to end the war, which has been ongoing for over a year.
   
Since Sept. 23, the Israeli army has intensified its airstrikes on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. In early October, Israel initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beirut.
(XHTV)