Israel and Lebanon signed a 14-point framework agreement at the US State Department on Friday. More than 4,000 people have been killed and more than a million displaced since Israel launched its devastating military campaign in October 2023. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah sharply criticised the agreement, saying that Lebanese authorities would not be able to enforce it without bringing the country to "civil war".
Here is a rundown of the agreement's text that the State Department released on Friday:
1)Israel and Lebanon affirm "the right of each state to exist in peace" and declare their intent to "conclusively end the conflict" and "formally conclude any state of war between them," resolving issues through direct bilateral negotiations with US mediation.
2) The two countries commit to a "reciprocal, sequenced process" in which the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) will restore sovereign authority over Lebanese territory pending the "verified disarmament of non-state armed groups," enabling the IDF to "progressively redeploy out of the Lebanese territory."
3) The LAF will "gradually assume full and effective security responsibility" in agreed "pilot zones". Two initial zones have been agreed upon, with more possible "by mutual consent", after which reconstruction begins and civilians can "safely return" under Lebanese state authority.
