New Delhi:The United States, Israel and Lebanon on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at laying the groundwork for a future peace deal, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough after four days of negotiations in Washington.
Announcing the agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it was the first step towards achieving lasting peace betweenIsrael and Lebanon.
"We are happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and, of course, the government of Israel, with the mediation and support of the United States of America," Rubio said during the signing ceremony.
Calling it the "beginning of the beginning," Rubio acknowledged that difficult negotiations still lie ahead.
"There is a lot of work ahead. We do not, in any way, underestimate the difficulty of the task. But we understand how important this is, and we are honoured to help bring it together," he said.
Lebanon's Ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the agreement as the "first step" towards restoring Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Shortly after the agreement was signed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) would withdraw from two positions in southern Lebanon, one north of the Litani River and another to its south.
In a pre-recorded video message, Netanyahu said the redeployment would involve areas the Israeli military "does not need" to continue holding.
However, he stressed that Israel would retain control over other strategic areas in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed.
Netanyahu also described the agreement as a major strategic victory for Israel and said it delivered a significant blow to Iran.
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