Prime Minister Netanyahu announced Friday evening that negotiators in Washington reached a framework agreement with Lebanon and the US. Israel keeps the security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, and two pilot areas will be handed over to the Lebanese army — one of them outside the security zone, north of the Litani River. Netanyahu called it a major achievement and a blow to Iran, which he said tried to force an Israeli withdrawal.
This evening (Friday), from Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the framework of a trilateral deal reached in Washington with the U.S. and Lebanon. He confirmed that Israel will retain the security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, and described the agreement as a blow to Iran. This explicit prime-ministerial confirmation arrives after an evening of rapid developments: around 20:00 Jerusalem, a senior Israeli official first told N12 that Israel would hold the zone, adding the IDF would have full freedom of military action inside it. Minutes later, multiple versions of the emerging framework – including the two-pilot-area structure – were reported, all at 20:00 Jerusalem. Netanyahu's own announcement, published at 20:55 Jerusalem, turned the evolving policy into an on-record, prime-ministerial statement.
Earlier this week, as The Zioneer reported, Defense Minister Katz said on Monday (June 15, 11:58 Jerusalem) that Netanyahu had directly communicated to President Trump that Israel would not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza. And in recent weeks, the prime minister stressed to Trump – reported by The Zioneer on June 18 (10:17 Jerusalem) – that Israel would not abandon the north. This evening's framework deal appears to formalize that position diplomatically.
The full text of the agreement has not been released. It remains unclear how the Lebanese army will enforce Hezbollah's disarmament – a condition for any eventual Israeli withdrawal – and what timeline is envisioned for the pilot area handovers.
8 developments
- StrongNetanyahu, defense chiefs reaffirm IDF will maintain security zone in southern Lebanon
- StrongNetanyahu: IDF to stay in southern Lebanon as long as needed; 300 Hezbollah targets struck in two days
- DevelopingNetanyahu declares Israel will hold security zones in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon as long as needed
- DevelopingNetanyahu: Lebanese civilians will not be allowed back into IDF-held security zone
Source and signal
- Internal intake