Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday lauded a trilateral framework agreement, signed on Friday by Israel, Lebanon, and the United States, which is intended to forge a path toward peace between the two neighboring nations. During a televised briefing, Netanyahu described the US-mediated deal as a historic accomplishment that strikes a significant blow against Iran and Hezbollah. He stated that the agreement follows five rounds of direct negotiations in Washington and represents a major achievement for the State of Israel.
The newly established framework includes a trial plan designed to facilitate the deployment of Lebanese soldiers into two regions currently controlled by Israel. A primary component of the agreement is the establishment of a formal process to disarm Hezbollah. Furthermore, the agreement mandates that Israel and Lebanon declare their firm intention to end their conflict, resolve underlying tensions, and officially conclude the state of war that has persisted between them. It also outlines a mechanism for the Lebanese Armed Forces to regain sovereign authority across all national territory once the disarmament of Hezbollah is fully achieved.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed support for the deal, characterizing it as an essential first step toward the restoration of his country’s sovereignty. However, the agreement has faced swift opposition from within Israel’s own government. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a prominent figure in the far-right, publicly denounced the deal on his Telegram channel. He argued that the Lebanese government cannot be relied upon to disarm Hezbollah, claiming that members of the Lebanese administration are essentially Hezbollah ministers. Ben Gvir insisted that only the Israel Defense Forces could effectively destroy Hezbollah.
Hezbollah also rejected the framework on Saturday, with the group dismissing it as a shameful act of surrender by the Lebanese government. A statement from the organization declared the Washington agreement null and void, asserting that it undermines Lebanese sovereignty. Tensions between the parties have remained high since March 2, when Hezbollah launched rocket fire toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. That initial escalation led to a broad military conflict, involving heavy Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion that resulted in extensive destruction of infrastructure and continued Israeli military occupation of parts of southern Lebanon.
