A tentative but major breakthrough to end the conflict between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah was achieved on Friday, as Israel and Lebanon officially signed a framework agreement in Washington, D.C.
The trilateral document was signed at the U.S. State Department by Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad, with the United States serving as a partner to the deal.
The agreement serves as an initial foundation, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel’s military reserves the right to stay in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah does not fulfill its disarmament obligations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hosted the signing ceremony, recognized the obstacles that remain.
“Today we’ve taken the first step in what will be a difficult journey, without a doubt, but an important and an essential and a necessary one,” Rubio stated.
To help enforce the agreement, Washington announced the creation of a “Military Coordination Group for Lebanon” to monitor its implementation.
The U.S. also promised an immediate $100 million in humanitarian assistance to be deployed in partnership with the United Nations. Additionally, Rubio announced more than $30 million in funding for the Lebanese Armed Forces, intended
“to more effectively establish sovereignty throughout Lebanese territory.”
The war erupted on March 2, triggered by a regional escalation following U.S. and Israeli operations against Iranian targets. The subsequent fighting has claimed over 4,000 lives in Lebanon and displaced more than a million people.
Despite the hurdles, both diplomats viewed the framework as a crucial building block for peace.
Ambassador Moawad called the agreement a “first step” toward restoring her country’s independence, while Ambassador Leiter remarked:
“Iran is out, Hezbollah is out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”