Hezbollah Rejects Proposed Agreement with Israel Over Lebanon

Lebanon and Israel Sign Framework Agreement in Washington DC

A framework agreement was signed on Friday between Lebanon and Israel in Washington DC, with the US providing mediation. The agreement aims to establish normalisation between the two countries.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has rejected the agreement, calling it “humiliating, shameful” and a “surrender of sovereignty”. He stated that Hezbollah will continue its resistance against Israel, despite the agreement.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have expressed their intention to maintain a presence in southern Lebanon, regardless of Hezbollah’s disarmament. Smotrich mentioned that Israel needs defendable borders.

The agreement does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Instead, it is seen as a path towards normalisation between the two countries, with both sides recognising each other’s right to exist in peace and declaring an intention to formally end the state of war.

Hezbollah supporters protested the agreement, taking to the streets of Beirut on Friday evening, burning tyres and blocking roads. Despite this, Lebanese officials seem optimistic about the deal, citing its potential for ending hostilities with Israel.

Lebanese parliamentarians Ashraf Rifi and Gebran Bassil have praised the agreement, stating that it marks a significant step towards Lebanon acting like a state. However, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah has warned that any attempt to enforce the agreement could lead to civil war.

The Lebanese security forces have been tasked with preventing riots and identifying rioters in response to the protests. An Israeli former ambassador has expressed scepticism about the agreement’s success due to its focus on resolving issues related to Hezbollah.

Source: Al Jazeera