Israel, Lebanon, and the United States signed a Trilateral Framework aimed at bringing peace to the region.
“Israel and Lebanon are the inheritors of ancient civilizations that date back to the time of the Bible,” the State Department said in a statement. “These two countries produce some of the world’s most entrepreneurial people and share some of the most beautiful coastlines on Earth. But for decades, these countries have been dragged into war by terrorist militias and proxies that have undermined Lebanon’s sovereignty, launched senseless attacks on Israel, and exported chaos across the entire Middle East.”
The agreement “establishes a clear and structured process to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm Hizballah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and enable Israel to return to its borders once that threat to its citizens is removed,” the statement adds. It also creates a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L) that is facilitated by the United States in order to implement the arrangement.
The State Department explained that the framework provides Lebanon with a “genuine pathway out of a long crisis,” and creates for Israel a “verifiable path to removing the persistent threat on its northern border.”
“We are happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and of the government of Israel, with the mediation and support of the United States of America, that begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during the signing ceremony. “And that’s what these two nations deserve.”
Israel and Hezbollah reportedly agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month.
