Israeli and Lebanese Envoys Hail Framework as First Step Toward Peace

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s ambassador, Nada Hamadeh Maawad, welcomed the signing of a framework agreement between the two countries on Friday evening. Leiter called it a “historic agreement,” while Maawad said it was a first step toward a permanent end to hostilities and the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Maawad said the three-way framework was a first step toward “a permanent and final cessation of hostilities” that would allow people to return to their land and let all Lebanese live in peace, security and prosperity. She described the talks as long and difficult, and thanked the hosts and both delegations for their cooperation, saying the breakthrough was made possible by President Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, Ambassador Karam and the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Leiter said the deal advanced President Donald Trump’s vision of “peace and security, peace through strength.” He thanked his Lebanese counterpart, saying she and her team had set an example of patriotism and that she “fought like a lioness.” He also said that over the previous four days of talks, he had worried the process was derailing and that Iran and its proxies wanted it to fail, but that, with hard work and the help of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team, “we got the train back on track.”

Leiter said the “ultimate goal” was real peace between Israel and Lebanon, with both states living securely and each other’s sovereignty respected and protected. He said the framework, which he described as performance-based, meant “Iran out, Hezbollah out, and the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon in.” He added that the deal would not have been possible without the resilience of Israelis, especially residents of the Upper Galilee, and thanked the soldiers of the IDF, many of whom he said had fallen in the campaign against Iran and its proxies.