Following the announcement of the framework agreement that emerged from negotiations between Lebanon and Israel hosted by Washington, attention has shifted to the next phase, amid divergent positions on the conditions for consolidating stability and the mechanisms for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
While Israel reiterates its insistence on maintaining a military presence until what it describes as its security requirements are met, the Lebanese state maintains that negotiations led by its institutions are the sole path to recovering territory and extending state sovereignty.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the army would remain in what he described as "security zones" in Lebanon "until further notice", stressing that Israel "will not withdraw from the security zones".
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reiterated that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as Hezbollah poses a threat to northern Israel, and that any withdrawal is contingent on the disarmament of the group — a position the Israeli government has repeated on more than one occasion.
In contrast, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed that the framework agreement formula that emerged from the Washington negotiations "fulfils the logic of the state" and preserves Lebanon's rights "judicially and on the ground". He stressed that Lebanon negotiated as a sovereign state, arguing that the recourse to negotiations came after the failure of the option of wars.
Aoun also denied reports of any intention to dismiss the army commander or the heads of the security services, affirming that their role is "fundamental in maintaining security and extending state sovereignty", and commending the stance of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in working to spare the country strife. He stressed that any interference with the military institution is unacceptable.
Aoun called on those opposed to the agreement to present an alternative, denying that Lebanon had relinquished any of its fixed principles.
During meetings he received yesterday with delegations from the bar associations of Beirut and the North, as well as economic bodies, Aoun asked for the opportunity to put the agreement to the test.
Foreign Minister Youssef Raji emphasised that the negotiating track launched by the Lebanese state is "the sole and exclusive path" to achieving a full Israeli withdrawal and reaching a permanent agreement. He called on partner countries to focus their support on this track, warning that any parallel tracks could weaken Lebanon's negotiating position.
This approach received external backing when Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during a telephone call with Aoun yesterday, confirmed his country's support for the framework agreement formula and for the Lebanese government's efforts to extend state sovereignty over all its territory. He announced Athens's readiness to strengthen support for the Lebanese army.
Domestically, the Lebanese Kataeb Party said the agreement represents an opportunity to restore the state and extend the army's authority over all Lebanese territory, affirming that its success remains contingent on proper implementation.
On the ground, military operations continued in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese National News Agency reporting that the outskirts of the town of Beit Yahoun came under Israeli artillery fire, while Israeli forces carried out demolition and destruction operations against houses in a number of border villages.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office also announced that Netanyahu had instructed the army to continue destroying Hezbollah's infrastructure in southern Lebanon, affirming that Israeli forces would continue their operations in line with what it considers its security objectives.