Israel and Lebanon agree on ceasefire framework in US-mediated talks

Smoke billows from explosions in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam. Pic/AFP

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and Lebanon have found common ground on "the implementation of a ceasefire", which remains strictly conditional on "a complete cessation" of Hezbollah fire and the removal of all Hezbollah operatives from southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement released after the latest round of US-mediated talks on Wednesday.

This development follows recent warnings from the Israeli government regarding a potential escalation of its actions in Lebanon, a friction point that threatened to derail parallel US-Iran talks. The diplomatic progress unfolds amidst a fragile security environment, as the ongoing ceasefire has seen repeated violations, with Israel and Hezbollah continuing to trade strikes.

The intensive negotiations, held at the US State Department, lasted nearly nine hours on Wednesday and followed a full day of preliminary talks on Tuesday. Looking ahead to build on this momentum, Israel and Lebanon "agreed to reconvene the political and security tracks the week of June 22, with a view toward reaching a comprehensive agreement", while the US "agreed to continue facilitating communication between the parties in the interim."

As an immediate step towards stabilising the border, the joint statement noted that the two sides have agreed to "swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors", though the cross-border decree did not lay out a timeline for those pilot zones.

The structural framework for long-term regional stability remains a primary focus of the discussions. According to the joint statement, "Israel reaffirmed that its security and respect for its territorial integrity can only be achieved through the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantlement of its infrastructure throughout Lebanon."

Addressing these core security demands, Beirut detailed its own sovereign expectations within the peace process. "Lebanon reaffirmed the necessity for mutual respect of internationally recognised borders, the urgent need for full implementation of the cessation of hostilities, underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty," the text read.

To meet these international benchmarks, "Lebanon committed to enhancing the capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces, with US support, to assert effective control throughout the country." To ensure the viability of these security measures on the ground, Washington has pledged robust institutional assistance.

The US "underscored its intent to support the Lebanese Armed Forces, with the aim of improving their capacity and enabling the effective exercise of sovereignty throughout Lebanese territory", according to the release. The joint declaration also featured a unified regional stance against external state-sponsored militia networks.

"All parties condemned Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and ongoing activities that undermine stability throughout the Middle East, whether through support for proxies and all other acts of aggression," the statement added.

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