Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon, announced a framework agreement Friday described as a first step toward peace after months of conflict involving Hezbollah.
Washington felt tense on Friday, even in the calm language of diplomacy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood alongside the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon as they announced a framework agreement meant to open a “first step” toward peace after months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The officials did not release the details of the agreement that was signed by Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States.
Hamadeh framed the accord as something deeper than a pause in fighting. She called it “a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity. securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities. enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace. security. and prosperity.”.
Leiter spoke in similarly high-stakes terms. positioning the framework as a route toward what he described as lasting peace between the two countries. “Real peace. where both countries will live in security. where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected. honored. and protected. ” he said.
He also made clear what he said the agreement leaves out. Leiter described the framework as a “performance-based trilateral framework agreement” in which “Iran is out” and “Hezbollah is out,” saying those exclusions are part of getting “the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon” moving.
Put together. the statements from Hamadeh and Leiter point to a deal built around who is included—and who is not—at a moment when the people in the middle of the conflict are still waiting for anything that resembles a return to normal life. Hamadeh’s language about getting Lebanese people “back to their land” landed like a direct measure of what peace would need to change. while Leiter’s insistence on “security” and protection of sovereignty set the terms for how that change would be enforced.
Marco Rubio Israel Lebanon framework agreement Yechiel Leiter Nada Hamadeh Hezbollah sovereignty cease hostilities US diplomacy Iran excluded
So they signed a deal but won’t say what’s in it? Cool cool.
Typical. First step, but nothing actually changes. Also “Hezbollah is out” like they can just kick them out of reality.
Wait so Iran is out… but Hezbollah is also out? I’m confused because those are kinda connected? Either way sounds like US is just setting up another thing that’ll fail.
Rubio standing there like it’s peace already. They always leave out the details and then act surprised when people in the area don’t see “sovereignty” on day one. “Back to their land” sounds nice but I bet the borders and the power stuff still isn’t settled. Also why is Hezbollah even being mentioned like a checkbox?