Israel and Lebanon, under U.S. sponsorship, signed a framework agreement on Friday following a fifth round of negotiations in Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement paves the way for “lasting peace” between the two countries.
During the signing ceremony, where the flags of the three nations were displayed side by side, Rubio stated:
“We are pleased to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and, of course, the government of Israel, with mediation and support from the United States.”
He added that the agreement lays the foundation for “a framework for lasting peace and security.”
For her part, Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Hamada Mouawad described the agreement as “a first step toward restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, and enabling our people to return to their land.”
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said the agreement places “Iran out of the picture, Hezbollah out of the picture, and opens the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon.”
The most recent war in Lebanon erupted after Hezbollah, an ally of Tehran, launched rockets at Israel, saying it was responding to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the outset of the broader Middle East conflict.
Israel responded with an extensive air campaign and a ground offensive, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths, according to Lebanese authorities.
The Lebanese and Israeli governments began direct negotiations in April, a process that Hezbollah repeatedly rejected.
Although several ceasefire agreements were announced afterward, conditions on the ground remained largely unchanged, with Israel continuing airstrikes and ground operations, while Hezbollah continued targeting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and, at times, northern Israel.
Military activity along the front decreased after the signing of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding on June 17, which called for ending hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon.
Source: AFP
