Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri firmly rejected the recent US-brokered agreement with Israel, stating that the framework will not be enacted or accepted by the Lebanese government. Berri, a key ally of Hezbollah, pledged that his Amal movement would actively oppose the deal within Lebanon’s Cabinet, emphasizing the political resistance it faces domestically.
The proposed agreement outlines a security arrangement where Israel’s Defense Forces would retain a security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia, is disarmed and removed. Berri described the framework as significantly worse than the May 1983 accord, the closest official attempt at peace between Beirut and Jerusalem to date. He called it “ten times worse,” underscoring deep mistrust among Lebanese factions toward the terms.
The deal intends to establish two pilot zones recommended by Israel’s military, where Lebanese Armed Forces would deploy and oversee the disarmament of Hezbollah militants. However, Hezbollah’s influence in the region remains strong, and Berri’s opposition reflects the broader challenge of enforcing any agreement that threatens the militia's presence.
Berri also expressed faith in the US-Iran negotiation channel as the only viable route to hold Israel accountable for agreements regarding Lebanon, signaling reliance on wider regional diplomacy despite the rejection of the current framework.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official highlighted that the new US framework supersedes a recent Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and Lebanon, which aimed for an immediate halt to military operations on all fronts before Hezbollah’s disarmament. This clause had failed to produce tangible results on the ground.