What Is Included in Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement?
News Desk
Middle East: A 14-point framework agreement has been reached between Israel and Lebanon under US mediation, marking a significant step toward ending the conflict on the Lebanese front and laying the groundwork for a possible permanent peace agreement.
The deal, signed after five rounds of negotiations hosted by the US State Department, outlines a phased roadmap for restoring stability, strengthening Lebanese state authority and reducing military tensions along the border.
According to details obtained by Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, the agreement stipulates that the Lebanese Armed Forces will gradually assume full responsibility for security across the country once the disarmament of non-state armed groups is verified. In parallel, Israeli forces will begin a phased withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Under the framework, Lebanon reaffirmed that all decisions related to national security, defense and declarations of war or peace will rest exclusively with the Lebanese state and its official security institutions.
The agreement also states that Israel reserves the right to respond if Hezbollah launches attacks against Israeli territory. At the same time, both countries have expressed their commitment to pursuing peaceful coexistence and reducing hostilities.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/us-eases-iran-sanctions-after-breakthrough-nuclear-talks/
As part of the next phase, Israel and Lebanon will establish joint working groups tasked with drafting a comprehensive peace agreement.
Lebanese officials told Al Arabiya that the framework clearly provides for the gradual redeployment and withdrawal of Israeli forces but contains no provision allowing a permanent Israeli military presence inside Lebanon.
The sources added that recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the continued deployment of Israeli troops go beyond the agreed framework and are not reflected in the text of the deal.
They also stressed that the deployment of the Lebanese army will not require Israeli approval and that any pilot or test zones envisioned under the agreement can only be established with the mutual consent of both sides.
The framework agreement was signed on Friday under US mediation following months of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and opening the door to a broader peace settlement.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement represented an important milestone between the sovereign governments of Israel and Lebanon and would provide “a solid foundation for lasting peace and security.”
Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nadi Hamada Mouawad described the deal as the first major step toward restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, ending hostilities permanently and enabling displaced Lebanese citizens to return to their homes.
Israeli Ambassador Yehiel Leiter said the agreement would diminish the influence of Iran and Hezbollah and create an opportunity for lasting peace between Israel and Lebanon.
The latest conflict in Lebanon erupted after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel. Hezbollah said the attacks were retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with a large-scale air and ground campaign that Lebanese officials say has killed more than 4,000 people.
Despite the signing of the framework agreement, major differences remain between the two sides.
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem has insisted that Israel must withdraw from southern Lebanon without conditions, while Prime Minister Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli forces will not leave the area until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, underscoring the challenges that remain before a final peace agreement can be reached.
