U.S. Says Israel and Lebanon Agree on a Full Ceasefire Framework
Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement overnight, between Wednesday and Thursday, on a plan for a full ceasefire in Lebanon. In a joint statement issued by the countries through the U.S. State Department, it said the ceasefire depends on a complete halt to Hezbollah fire and the removal of all its operatives from areas south of the Litani River. The sides agreed to resume the political and security track in the week of June 22 in order to reach a comprehensive agreement.
It was also decided, at the end of the fourth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, to accelerate the establishment of pilot areas in which the Lebanese Army will receive exclusive control over the territory, while removing all armed actors not belonging to the state, including Hezbollah. In the U.S. State Department statement, published on behalf of the three countries, it was written: "The countries reiterated that the future of relations between Israel and Lebanon must be determined by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon's future hostage."
The statement also said that "Israel and Lebanon reiterated that they have no hostile intentions toward each other, and committed to continue direct negotiations to build trust, resolve all remaining open issues and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries." It concluded that "these steps will allow progress toward a comprehensive peace and security agreement."
Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said before the cameras regarding the agreement reached that "special units in the Lebanese Army will take control of different areas, and will gradually take over all of southern Lebanon, so that there will not be a pattern like in the past 40 years, where Israel leaves an area and Hezbollah takes it over." Leiter added that "with each meeting, the sides are getting closer to each other, and to an agenda that will allow us to bring peace between Israel and Lebanon."
Defense Minister Israel Katz said: "The statement of principles yesterday between Israel and the Lebanese government in Washington, mediated by and with the commitment of the United States, which includes a clear statement on the goal of dismantling Hezbollah's weapons throughout Lebanon and condemning Iran's involvement in Lebanon and the region, a ceasefire conditioned on the prior removal of Hezbollah terrorists from the entire area south of the Litani and the creation of a demilitarized zone while the IDF continues at this stage the fighting and its activity on the ground, the IDF's stay in the security zone in Lebanon up to the yellow line, including in the Beaufort area and without the return of the population, with continued disruption of terror infrastructure in the area, and freedom of action for Israel, with U.S. backing, to strike in Beirut in response to fire on settlements and Israeli territory, is an expression of the reality we have created in Lebanon so far."
According to the defense minister, "opposition members should apologize and acknowledge the great achievement so far in Lebanon, both on the ground and on the diplomatic level, thanks to the leadership of bold and correct decisions by the political echelon led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the intensity of IDF activity in Lebanon, and the heroism of the fighters and residents of the confrontation line. This is a diplomatic achievement with the State of Lebanon and, above all, the creation of real and lasting security for the residents of the north for the first time in 50 years."
Despite the announcement, around 6:00 a.m. sirens were heard in Kfar Yuval in the Upper Galilee, and shortly afterward the IDF announced a suspicious aerial target was identified in the area’s skies. There were no casualties. At the same time, Lebanese media reported an Israeli Air Force strike targeting a vehicle in southern Lebanon.
