The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was approved by the Israeli security cabinet Tuesday evening, to end the hostilities that erupted when Hezbollah opened the southern front in support of Hamas on October 8, 2023, culminating in Tel Aviv's major offensive against the pro-Iranian group on September 23.
Unlike in 2006, the Lebanese government is engaged officially in a state-to-state agreement, rather than to the text of a non-binding UN resolution, to guarantee stability in the southern part of the country.
The key points of the agreement:
- The dismantling of all unauthorized facilities involved in the production of weapons or weapons-related materials will be dismantled.
- All unauthorized military infrastructures and sites will be dismantled, and all unlicensed weapons incompatible with these commitments will be confiscated.
- Hezbollah and all other armed factions present on Lebanese territory undertake not to carry out offensive actions against Israel.
- For its part, Israel will refrain from any offensive military operation against targets in Lebanon, whether by land, air or sea.
- Both countries recognize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, as the legal basis for maintaining peace in the region.
- These commitments do not call into question the right of Israel and Lebanon to exercise self-defense in the event of a direct attack.
- Lebanon will deploy official security forces and military personnel along the border, at the crossing points and throughout the southern region in accordance with the deployment plan, assuming responsibility for security in these areas.
- Any sale, supply or production of weapons or weapons-related materials in Lebanon will be placed under the supervision and control of the Lebanese government.
- The Lebanese army will have exclusive control of all armed operations in South Lebanon.
- A mutually agreed committee (Israel and Lebanon) will be established to oversee and help ensure the implementation of these commitments.
- Israel and Lebanon will report any potential violations of these commitments to the committee and to UNIFIL forces.
- Israel will gradually withdraw south of the Blue Line over a period of up to 60 days.
- The U.S. will work to facilitate indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to establish defined land borders.
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