US, Israel, Lebanon Sign Trilateral Framework After 4 Days Of Washington Talks

Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with Israel’s ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon’s ambassador Nada Hamadeh, announced a framework agreement on Friday, calling it an initial move towards peace after months of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The officials did not disclose the full details of the accord signed by the two ambassadors, however, the latest development is expected to bring lasting peace in the region.

Following the event, Ambassador Hamadeh stated, “The 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.”

Ambassador Leiter stressed that the ultimate goal of the framework was peace between the two countries. “Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honoured, and protected…..In this performance-based trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out. Hezbollah is out. And the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in,” he said.

The latest round of conflict erupted when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel days after Israel and the US began their military campaign against Iran on February 28. Israel subsequently invaded Lebanon and gained control in the south, following which, the discussions between Israel and Lebanon took place separately from the interim deal signed last week by leaders of the US and Iran to halt the fighting in the Islamic Republic. The agreement established a 60-day window for talks on key matters, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme amid concerns that it could be used for military ends, an allegation Iran rejects.

Framework Excludes Hezbollah, Focuses On Sovereignty

Lebanon’s government had been cautious about allowing Iran to negotiate on its behalf, and Beirut initiated its own direct discussions with Israel following the outbreak of the most recent Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah was not involved in the talks, which produced several ceasefire arrangements that were never carried out on the ground.

Meanwhile, Iran insisted that its own accord with Washington explicitly contains a ceasefire in Lebanon. The first pause in fighting in Lebanon since March coincided with the start of US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

Over 4000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March and at least 37 Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon or northern Israel during the hostilities. Earlier this week, exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah began to fray after Israel said that it struck “Hezbollah militants” in several operations across southern Lebanon.

Pilot Zones And Withdrawal Conditions Under Discussion

The Lebanese officials have said that securing a withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon is a priority in the negotiations, while the Israeli officials have emphasised the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

On Wednesday, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun stated to a visiting British parliamentary delegation that a proposal for “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army would take exclusive control of the territory as Israeli troops withdraw was “under discussion pending approval from the Israeli side”. He reiterated that the Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington were separate from the Iran-US talks in Switzerland.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to address the media, stressed that Israel’s direct negotiations with Lebanon include talks on the redeployment of Israeli forces once southern Lebanon is cleared of Hezbollah infrastructure and Hezbollah has disarmed.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah is unlikely to accept any plan that would require its disarmament across the entire country. The group has maintained that it is only obliged by previous agreements and UN resolutions to disarm in the area south of the Litani River, near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Netanyahu Calls Deal ‘Great Achievement’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video on Friday that the framework was a “great achievement” for Israel. “The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon…..This is a major achievement, and we will maintain it as long as Hezbollah has not been disarmed and as long as it continues to pose a threat to the State of Israel,” he said.

Netanyahu also emphasised that Israel is allowing the Lebanese army to begin preparing to take control of territory. “We are establishing two pilot zones, both based on the recommendation of the IDF…..The first is entirely outside the security zone and south of the Litani River. The second is north of the Litani,” he said.

President Aoun had earlier noted that the pilot zone proposal was still awaiting Israeli approval. Further details regarding the new framework are awaited.