US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a framework agreement on Friday between Israel and Lebanon after talks in Washington.
Under the agreement, Israeli troops will withdraw from two areas within the six-mile buffer zone established by the IDF along the southern Lebanese border, as per The Times of Isreal. The positions will be handed over to the Lebanese Armed Forces, the report added.
The areas slated for withdrawal have already been cleared of Hezbollah infrastructure. According to the source, the IDF had previously dismantled militant positions in the zone, with some border villages extensively demolished after Israel alleged they had been used by Hezbollah to plan and launch attacks.
The breakthrough came on the fourth day of the fifth round of US-mediated talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington.
Signing Ceremony Expected Shortly
A formal signing ceremony was expected to take place at the US State Department shortly after the agreement was finalised.
Although Washington had hoped to conclude negotiations on Thursday, both sides required additional time to bridge remaining differences.
The talks unfolded against the backdrop of growing frustration in both Jerusalem and Beirut over the United States’ recent memorandum of understanding with Iran, which included a ceasefire arrangement in Lebanon.
US-Iran Agreement Undermined Purpose Of Their Direct Negotiations
According to the source, both Israel and Lebanon believed the US-Iran agreement undermined the purpose of their direct negotiations by giving Tehran greater influence over developments in Lebanon.
The source claimed that Israel initially adopted a tougher negotiating stance following the US-Iran deal, narrowing the areas from which it was willing to withdraw. Lebanon, meanwhile, also hardened its position, reportedly seeking to demonstrate that decisions concerning its territory would not be dictated by Iran.
Lebanese negotiators are said to have proposed a broader Israeli withdrawal than Jerusalem was prepared to accept, reflecting the political constraints facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as well as competing pressures on both negotiating teams.
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