Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati on Tuesday asked French energy giant TotalEnergies to kick start gas exploration off its shores, after Israel said the two countries have reached a U.S.-mediated deal to settle their maritime border.

Lebanon's search for gas riches in the hydrocarbon-rich eastern Mediterranean had stalled since 2020 over competing claims with Israel over offshore gas fields.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil met Tuesday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and handed him a copy of a "presidential priorities" paper that had been announced last week by the FPM leader.

Bassil said that he will contact the parliamentary blocs to discuss with them the presidential paper.

Lebanon has secured its "full rights" in the latest text drafted by U.S. mediators to demarcate the maritime border with Israel, its lead negotiator said Tuesday, after Israel said it met its terms too.

"Lebanon has obtained its full rights, and all of its remarks have been taken into account," said lead negotiator Elias Bou Saab, the deputy speaker of parliament, after handing the draft to President Michel Aoun.

Both Lebanon and Israel have said that they are satisfied with a draft submitted overnight by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein and that the draft may lead to a "historic" sea border demarcation deal that will allow both sides to explore for huge reserves of gas off their Mediterranean coasts.

Hochstein submitted an initial set of proposed final terms to Israel and Lebanon earlier this month.

President Michel Aoun on Monday said he hopes for a gas deal with Israel to be reached within the "next few days."

President Michel Aoun has received a phone call from U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who briefed him on the outcome of the latest round of talks with the Lebanese and Israeli sides, the Presidency said.

“Mr. Hochstein clarified that the discussion rounds have been concluded… and over the next few hours he will send a version that includes the final format of the proposal related to the demarcation of the southern maritime border,” the Presidency added.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday rejected what he called the election of a “settlements president.”

Turning to the issue of the new government, al-Rahi called for the formation of “an inclusive rather than a partisan government.”

The head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, has told Israel’s security cabinet that, according to his evaluation, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah wants the gas deal with Israel to be finalized and “does not want a military battle with Israel at the moment,” Israel’s Channel 12 has reported.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz for his part told the cabinet that the agreement should be signed prior to the extraction of gas from the Karish offshore gas field.

The French and the Americans are exerting huge pressure on Lebanon and are seeking a way to convince Beirut to “climb down from the tree,” Israel’s Channel 12 has reported.

Israel’s Kan TV meanwhile said that the next two days will be crucial in the attempt to revive the gas deal between Lebanon and Israel, after the Israelis rejected Lebanon’s amendments to the draft deal presented by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein.

President Michel Aoun announced Friday that “Lebanon is awaiting the outcome of the contacts that U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein is carrying out with the Israelis, in order to specify the course of the indirect negotiations for the demarcation of the southern maritime border.”

Aoun’s remarks come a day after Israel rejected Lebanon’s amendments to Hochstein’s latest proposal.