Amos Hochstein, the special envoy of US President Joe Biden, arrived in Israel again today (Monday) and will meet with the heads of state, this in an attempt to prevent further escalation in the war with Hezbollah.
The 51-year-old Hochstein knows the area well. He served as a mediator on behalf of the Biden administration for the maritime border dispute between Israel and Lebanon and mediated the maritime border agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which was signed in October 2022.
Hochstein’s diplomatic career began in 2011, when he held several positions in the Obama administration. Then-Secretary of State John Kerry appointed Hochstein as the United States’ chief energy diplomat. Later, Obama appointed him to the position of undersecretary of state for energy affairs.
Hochstein served in a variety of positions in the private sector and on Capitol Hill. Among other things, he was a senior policy advisor to the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and also worked as an advisor to Senators Chris Dodd and Mark Warner. Throughout his career, Hochstein advised local and international energy companies, assisting in the analysis of potential new markets and the development of alternative energy sources. Hochstein served on the board of the Atlantic Council and as a fellow at the Belfer Center at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
In August 2021, under the Biden administration, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken appointed Hochstein as his senior adviser on energy security.
Mediator in maritime border disputes
In recent years, Hochstein has been entrusted with a number of similar tasks as a mediator in maritime border disputes in sensitive areas. In 2022, mediation in negotiations between Greece and Turkey on the division of the gas areas in the Aegean Sea, until a temporary agreement is reached. At the same time, he also conducted similar negotiations between Cyprus and Turkey.
Hochstein acted as a mediator in the gas sale deal signed in 2014 between Israel and Jordan. As mentioned, Hochstein also mediated the negotiation talks between Israel and Lebanon on the maritime border that culminated in an agreement in October 2022, during the Bennett-Lapid government.
Hochstein was born in Israel to parents of American descent. He enlisted in the IDF and served in the Armored Corps. After his release from military service, he moved to the United States. He speaks Hebrew and defines himself as a modern-Orthodox Jew. He is married to Julie Ray Ringel and they have four children together. The couple lives in the city of Washington.
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