Israel will withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon, transferring the sites to the Lebanese military, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under a newly signed agreement after four days of talks in Washington.

Agreement Details

The negotiations led to a trilateral deal between Israel, Lebanon, and the US that will enable “future agreement” in an effort to reach a broader peace agreement, according to a senior Israeli official.

Lebanon’s Ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, said the agreement would be the “first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Netanyahu said one of the areas from which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will pull back its forces is north of the Litani River, while a second is south of the river.

The US State Department was hosting a fifth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in an attempt by the Trump administration to reach a broader agreement between the two countries that have never had diplomatic relations.

Reaction to the Agreement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the signing ceremony, “Today is the beginning of the beginning. There’s a lot of work ahead. 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 play a part in bringing this together.”

The Lebanese Armed Forces will move into these areas as part of a pilot program that was part of the latest ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

Netanyahu described the agreement as a major win for Israel, allowing Israel to remain in much of the territory it occupies in southern Lebanon and holding it as long as Hezbollah is not disarmed.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.