U.S. announces framework for "lasting peace" between Israel, Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Israel and Lebanon have reached a U.S.-brokered framework agreement for "lasting peace and security," despite repeated failures to uphold previous ceasefire agreements between the two neighbors.



The framework agreement, signed at the end of the latest round of ambassador-level talks in Washington, D.C. on Friday, called again for the implementation of a fragile ceasefire between the two Mideast nations.



"Today is a good day in that we are happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and, of course, the government of Israel, with a mediation and support of the United States of America that begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security," Rubio said at the signing ceremony.



However, details of the framework agreement remain unclear, and neither side explained how it differs from previous ceasefire agreements.