Secretary of State Marco Rubio just announced a new framework agreement between both Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the US. Under the agreement, Israel will withdraw from two areas of southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army will move into these areas.
Here’s what Rubio said:
Here’s more from CNN:
Israel will withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon, transferring the sites to the Lebanese military, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under a newly signed agreement after four days of talks in Washington.
The negotiations led to a trilateral deal between Israel, Lebanon and the US that will enable “future agreement” in an effort to reach a broader peace agreement, according to a senior Israeli official.
As the agreement was signed, Lebanon’s Ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, said the agreement would be the “first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Netanyahu said one of the areas from which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will pull back its forces is north of the Litani River, while a second is south of the river. The Israeli-occupied territory in southern Lebanon includes the area south of the Litani River. In a pre-recorded video statement on Friday evening, Netanyahu described the movement of Israeli forces as leaving sites that the IDF “does not need” in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Armed Forces will move into these areas as part of a pilot program that was part of the latest ceasefire agreement between the two countries. CNN previously reported that Israel is considering “symbolic” withdrawals from occupied territory in southern Lebanon as part of the talks as a “gesture” to the Lebanese government.