US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday a US-mediated framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon aimed at achieving lasting peace and security. The deal calls for a ceasefire contingent on Hezbollah ending all fire and withdrawing from southern Lebanon.
Framework Agreement Details
In a post on X, the Department of State quoted Rubio as saying, "We're happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and the government of Israel, with the mediation and support of the United States of America." Rubio emphasized that the agreement is a first step in a long journey, noting, "It will take a lot of work and some time to get back to that point, but we believe today is the first step in that journey. And the first step is sometimes the hardest step, but it's the one we're taking together today."
Rubio highlighted the suffering of northern Israeli residents who have faced repeated terrorist attacks from Lebanon. "Obviously, the people of Israel deserve to live in peace and security. The people of northern Israel in particular, who have been targeted repeatedly by terrorist attacks launched from the territory of Lebanon, but not by the Lebanese people, not by the Lebanese government, but by an outside actor who has sought to use that territory to target innocent civilians who have been unable to live in these places for a long time," he said.
Challenges Ahead
Rubio acknowledged the difficulty of the path ahead. "Every time a siren goes off, you have to stop your schoolwork, you have to wake up, you have to stop going to work and you have to run into a bunker or a basement and protect yourself. So as I said, today as I've told all the parties here today, it's the beginning of the beginning. There is a lot of work ahead and we don't in any way underestimate the difficulty of the task ahead. But we understand the importance of it, how vital it is. And we are honored to have played a part in bringing this together," he stated.
Diplomatic Reactions
Lebanon's Ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh, expressed gratitude. "This was a long and difficult meeting. We are grateful to the host and to the two delegations for their cooperation during these talks. This milestone was made possible through the leadership of President Aoun, the tenacity of Prime Minister Salam, the resilience of Ambassador Karam, and the patriotism of the Lebanese armed forces. Thank you all so much," she said.
Israel's Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, noted the historic progress. "Your excellencies, ambassadors, Mr. Secretary, I want to first express my appreciation to Secretary Rubio and his incredible team. Under his leadership, we've advanced President Trump's vision of peace and security, of peace through strength. We've advanced a historical and important process forward. In my opening remarks four days ago, I expressed concern that this train was running off the tracks, that Iran and its proxies wanted a train wreck. Well, with a lot of hard work under your leadership, Dan, together with Secretary Rubio and his entire staff, indefatigable team, we've put the train back on the tracks and it's running in the right direction," he said.
Leiter also acknowledged the sacrifices of the Israel Defence Forces. "This would not have been possible without the resilience of the people of Israel and especially the residents of our northern Galilee who have remained resolute in the face of Hezbollah terror. And last but not least, I want to thank the real heroes who have made this possible: the men and women of the IDF who selflessly defend Israel, many of whom have given their lives in the battle against Iran and its proxies," he added.
Historical Context
A statement by the Department of State noted that Israel and Lebanon are inheritors of ancient civilizations dating back to biblical times, producing entrepreneurial people and sharing beautiful coastlines. However, for decades, both countries have been dragged into war by terrorist militias and proxies that undermined Lebanon's sovereignty, launched senseless attacks on Israel, and exported chaos across the Middle East.
