Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that the "framework agreement" signed with Israel is not a treaty or pact, but merely a guiding framework that sets the direction of negotiations toward reaching a final agreement.
Speaking to a private television channel, Salam noted that the term "framework agreement" is confusing, saying, "We are not talking about an agreement or treaty, but a roadmap that will determine the course of negotiations."
The prime minister pointed out that this stage was reached after two wars, providing the information that "the first caused over $7 billion in direct damage, while economic losses are estimated at around $13 billion."
Salam stated that if the framework is implemented, Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and the safe and dignified return of displaced southerners to their homes is expected, saying, "Our goal is the return of the southerners to their homeland and the cessation of bloodshed."
Addressing his stance toward Hezbollah, Salam said, "We are not seeking conflict with Hezbollah; on the contrary, we must prevent armed conflict. However, just as we will not bow to blackmail and the threat of civil war, we will not back down from the policy of bringing weapons under state control."
On Friday evening, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a framework agreement, mediated by the US, that envisages Israel's "phased" withdrawal from all Lebanese territory. The agreement includes the withdrawal starting from two pilot areas.
However, the agreement does not set a clear timetable for withdrawal from either the two areas in question or all Lebanese territory. The withdrawal is conditional on the Lebanese army assuming full security responsibility alone in the vacated areas and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, primarily Hezbollah.
While Lebanese government circles described the agreement as a "first step" toward restoring state sovereignty and the return of the displaced, Hezbollah defined the framework as "null and void" and "humiliating." Hezbollah considers linking the withdrawal to its disarmament as crossing red lines.
Following the agreement, calls for protests against the framework agreement spread on social media after actions in the capital Beirut on Friday evening. According to Lebanon's official news agency, a group of Hezbollah supporters blocked the Salim Salam road in Beirut by burning tires on Friday.
Israel has occupied some areas in southern Lebanon for years. While part of this occupation dates back decades, Israel took control of new areas during the 2023-2024 period with the latest war and advanced to a depth of over 10 kilometers in the current offensive. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 4,000 people have been killed, over 12,000 injured, and more than one million displaced in Israeli attacks since March 2, 2026.
