Israel and Lebanon agreed to a deal as part of a trilateral framework with the United States on Friday, after five rounds of talks hosted by the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it "the beginning of the beginning" moments before the signing.
Israel and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework agreement with the United States on Friday in Washington, following five rounds of talks hosted by the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the deal as "the beginning of the beginning" in remarks to reporters just before the signing.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the signing took place Saturday morning Jerusalem time. Rubio had said on Friday that the framework would allow Israel to return to its borders once the threat is lifted, and that the three countries could form a joint defense triangle coordinated by the United States. The agreement follows last-minute phone calls Rubio held with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to resolve remaining differences.
The event caps a month-long diplomatic push in Washington that included three rounds of talks, an improved atmosphere reported by Saudi channel Al-Hadath, and analyst assessments that President Trump was pushing for a partial Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The full text of the framework was published after the signing.
What remains to be seen is how the framework's security clauses, including pilot zones in southern Lebanon and Israel's reported veto over their success, will be implemented on the ground.
3 developments
- DevelopingRubio: New framework allows US, Israel, Lebanon to form joint defense triangle
- DevelopingLebanese government signs US-brokered agreement with Israel in Washington
- StrongSenior Israeli official details tripartite framework: Iran and Hezbollah excluded from Lebanon
- StrongUS-Iran MOU signed; analyst says Trump pushing partial Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake