Israel and Lebanon announced a new agreement aimed at strengthening the existing ceasefire and reducing the influence of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The announcement was made at the end of a fourth round of negotiations conducted under the auspices of the United States at the State Department in Washington.
According to the joint statement, the continuation of the ceasefire depends on a total cessation of Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all its fighters from the area south of the Litani River.
The two parties also agreed to create several security “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army will exercise exclusive control, without the presence of armed non-state actors.
The concrete arrangements for implementing these zones have not yet been specified.
“These measures will make it possible to progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” the statement said.
The United States, Israel and Lebanon also reaffirmed that the future of relations between the two countries should be decided exclusively by their sovereign governments.
The text rejects any attempt by a state or non-state actor to “take Lebanon’s future hostage”, an implicit reference to Iran, Hezbollah’s main supporter.
Tehran had recently demanded an end to Israeli strikes in Lebanon as part of parallel discussions with Washington on a possible regional agreement.
Hezbollah did not participate in the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
The agreement also provides for the continuation of political and security discussions with a view to a broader settlement of disputes between the two countries.
This diplomatic advance comes after several weeks of tensions along the Israeli-Lebanese border and as Washington tries to simultaneously stabilize the Lebanese and Iranian fronts.
