Washington, United States. Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday after several days of talks aimed at securing an end to fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Both sides described the deal as an initial step.
Agreement signed in Washington
Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter signed the trilateral document with the United States at the State Department in Washington. Few details of the agreement were provided.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the signing that the agreement marked the first step in what he described as a difficult but important and necessary process.
U.S. role in implementation
In a later statement, Rubio said the United States would facilitate implementation of the deal through a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon. He said Washington would commit significant resources, including an immediate $100 million in humanitarian assistance in coordination with the United Nations.
Rubio also said the United States reaffirmed its intent to improve the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces to more effectively establish sovereignty throughout Lebanese territory, with more than $30 million in funds under existing U.S. authorities and appropriations.
Israeli and Lebanese positions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement allows Israeli forces to continue occupying southern Lebanon if Hezbollah does not disarm.
He also said the deal would allow the Lebanese army to begin organizing to take control of territory, starting with two pilot zones from which Israeli troops would withdraw from land occupied during the war.
Moawad described the agreement as a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty.
Leiter said, “Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”
Background to the conflict
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began when the armed group fired at Israel on March 2, days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran. The Hezbollah attacks prompted Israeli air and ground operations that have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced more than one million, according to the article.
