UN hail US-Brokered Israel-Lebanon agreement as ‘Milestone’ toward lasting stability

The United Nations has welcomed the trilateral framework agreement signed by Israel and Lebanon and sponsored by the United States, calling it “a milestone in efforts to end decades of conflict and advance lasting stability,” according to Anadolu Agency .

The United Nations has welcomed the trilateral framework agreement signed by Israel and Lebanon and sponsored by the United States, calling it “a milestone in efforts to end decades of conflict and advance lasting stability,” according to Anadolu Agency . The announcement follows the formal endorsement of the agreement by UN officials, who described it as a significant diplomatic breakthrough in a region long plagued by hostilities .

The framework, unveiled by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following several days of negotiations in Washington, represents the first formal accord between Israel and Lebanon in years . Under its terms, Israel has agreed to withdraw its military forces from two designated zones in southern Lebanon, transferring control to the Lebanese Armed Forces as part of a pilot programme . The agreement also commits both sides to cease hostile actions in international forums and work toward the release of detainees and the return of human remains, while affirming the right of each state to live in peace as neighbouring sovereign nations .

Speaking at the State Department, Rubio praised the accord as a “major milestone” and described it as “the beginning of the beginning” of a broader diplomatic process between the two countries . Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh called the agreement “the first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity” . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the withdrawal of forces from designated areas would allow Israel to retain positions in key security zones until Hezbollah is disarmed, describing the move as a strategic achievement .

However, the agreement has drawn sharp opposition from Hezbollah, which was not a party to the negotiations. Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem flatly rejected the accord, calling it “a humiliation, a disgrace, and a surrender of sovereignty” and reaffirming the group’s commitment to maintaining its resistance against Israel . The group has urged the Lebanese government to retract its participation in the negotiations .

Despite the UN’s positive assessment, questions remain over the agreement’s implementation, particularly given Hezbollah’s opposition and its continued military presence in southern Lebanon . The United States has established a military coordination mechanism to support implementation, while Lebanon has sought assistance from international partners, particularly Arab nations, under US leadership . As officials on all sides acknowledge, substantial negotiations lie ahead, but the framework marks a rare diplomatic step toward de-escalation in a conflict that has devastated the region.