US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon, announced on Friday a framework agreement described as an initial step toward peace after months of conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.
The officials did not disclose details of the deal, which was signed by Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States.
Hamadeh said the framework marks “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 return to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.”
Leiter emphasised that the ultimate goal of the framework is a lasting peace.
“Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honoured, and protected,” Leiter said. “In this performance-based trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out. Hezbollah is out. And the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.”
