The U.S. State Department issued a statement Friday evening backing the framework agreement with Lebanon, saying it establishes a clear process for restoring Lebanese sovereignty, disarming Hezbollah, dismantling its infrastructure, and enabling Israel to return to its borders after the threat to its citizens is removed – effectively confirming Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements that full withdrawal from Lebanese territory will occur only after the threat to the north is eliminated, meaning Hezbollah disarmament. The statement also announced a trilateral military coordination group (Israel, Lebanon, US) and $100 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon plus over $30 million to strengthen the Lebanese army.
The U.S. State Department released a formal statement Friday evening that explicitly endorses Prime Minister Netanyahu's interpretation of the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington earlier this week. The statement says the agreement "establishes a clear and structured process for restoring Lebanese sovereignty, disarming Hezbollah and dismantling its terrorist infrastructure, and enabling Israel to return to its borders after the removal of the threat to its citizens." This language mirrors Netanyahu's remarks Friday evening that full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory will only be carried out after the threat to northern Israel is removed – which he defined as the disarmament of Hezbollah.
As The Zioneer reported at 22:45, Secretary of State Rubio had already stated the US would provide over $30 million to replenish the Lebanese Armed Forces as part of the deal. The State Department's latest announcement adds $100 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, and reveals the establishment of a trilateral military coordination group involving Israel, Lebanon, and the United States to oversee implementation of the agreement. The announcement effectively resolves any ambiguity about the sequencing of Israel's withdrawal: it is now officially tied to Hezbollah disarmament, not to a fixed calendar.
The statement aligns with earlier SAME-THREAD reports by The Zioneer: Rubio's signing ceremony remarks (20:41) calling the framework "just the beginning," and his subsequent confirmation (22:37) of a clear process for disarmament. The new detail – the trilateral military coordination group and the specific aid figures – comes directly from the State Department release. No Israeli official has yet commented on the announcement.
2 developments
- DevelopingIsrael-Lebanon framework text implies gradual IDF withdrawal only after Hezbollah disarmament
- StrongUS Secretary of State Rubio says US will help Lebanon 'take control' of territory to counter Hezbollah
- DevelopingRubio says framework deal will let Israel return to its borders when the threat is removed
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem reaffirms armed resistance as only path, demands full Israeli withdrawal
Source and signal
- Internal intake