The United States, Israel and Lebanon on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement in Washington aimed at paving the way for a broader peace deal between Israel and Lebanon after months of conflict involving Hezbollah.
The agreement, signed by Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh Moawad, was announced alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Officials, however, did not disclose details of the framework.
Rubio described the accord as an important milestone, saying the agreement “begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security.”
Hamadeh said the framework represented an initial step toward stability and sovereignty for Lebanon.
“This framework is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity,” she said.
Leiter said the agreement could eventually lead to full peace between the two neighbouring countries.
“Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored, and protected,” he said. “In this performance-based trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out. Hezbollah is out. And the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”
The agreement follows five rounds of talks in Washington aimed at ending decades of hostility and weeks of renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The latest conflict erupted after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in early March, prompting extensive Israeli air strikes and a ground incursion into Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities say more than 4,200 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the fighting began, while dozens of Israeli soldiers have also died in clashes along the border.
Previous ceasefire arrangements brokered during the conflict failed to hold, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Hezbollah was not directly involved in the negotiations that led to the framework agreement.
Lebanese officials have consistently sought a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, while Israel has made the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah a central demand.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said earlier this week that discussions were underway on proposed “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army would assume exclusive control as Israeli forces withdraw. He stressed that the negotiations with Israel were separate from broader discussions involving Iran and the United States.
Under US pressure, Lebanese officials began direct talks in April with Israel in Washington, and a truce was announced on April 17 that ultimately failed to stop the fighting.
A new ceasefire was declared this month as Tehran insisted that its deal with Washington to end the broader conflict launched by the United States and Israel in late February must include Lebanon.
Friday’s agreement is being viewed by all three parties as a framework intended to create conditions for a more comprehensive and lasting peace arrangement between Israel and Lebanon.
Netanyahu says Israel to remain in south Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel would remain in south Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms, shortly after the announcement in Washington of a framework agreement with the United States and Lebanon.
"The most important thing is, first of all, that Israel remains in the security zone in southern Lebanon. This is a major achievement, and we will maintain it as long as Hezbollah has not disarmed," Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video shared with Israeli media shortly after the trilateral framework agreement was announced.
In his video statement, Netanyahu added that Israel's military would also allow the Lebanese army to take control of territory in two areas.
"We are implementing two pilot areas, both at the army's recommendation. One is entirely outside the security zone and south of the Litani River, while the other is north of the Litani," a river in south Lebanon.
Netanyahu added that Lebanese civilians displaced from the so-called "security zone" that Israeli forces established in south Lebanon won't be allowed to return home.
"We are maintaining the original security zone at all times, outside the range of anti-tank fire. We are not allowing Hezbollah to enter it, nor are we allowing the civilian population to enter," Netanyahu said.
(With inputs from AP,AFP)