Israel-Lebanon deal sparks backlash as Hezbollah terms agreement ‘surrender’

New Delhi: A new US-brokered security agreement between Israel and Lebanon has triggered strong opposition from Hezbollah. This again calls into question whether broader peace in the region can prevail.The agreement, signed in Washington on June 26 after several rounds of US-mediated talks, is designed as a framework for ending months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. While details have not been fully released, the deal reportedly links a phased Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon to the gradual disarmament of Hezbollah and the expansion of Lebanese state control in the area.A contentious dealHezbollah leader Naim Qassem has dismissed the agreement as “null and void,” accusing Lebanese officials of accepting terms that favour Israel. He said the group would not give up its weapons and would continue what it describes as resistance against Israel. The Iran-backed group argues that any Israeli withdrawal should happen without conditions and has rejected efforts to tie it to Hezbollah’s disarmament.Israeli leaders, however, have defended the framework as an important security arrangement. Israel has indicated that its forces will remain in certain security areas until Hezbollah is no longer considered a threat. The agreement reportedly includes an initial handover of selected zones to the Lebanese army, which would gradually assume greater responsibility for security in southern Lebanon.Concerns over implementationThe deal is being viewed as the most significant diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and Lebanon in decades, especially after recent unending skirmishes, but its implementation would still be difficult.Hezbollah remains one of the most powerful armed groups in Lebanon, and importantly, is not a formal signatory to the agreement and has shown no willingness to disarm. The agreement has also faced criticism from some Lebanese political groups and human rights advocates. Detractors have said that parts of the framework could weaken efforts to pursue accountability for alleged war crimes committed during the conflict. Meanwhile, violence has not fully stopped, with Israeli drone strikes reported in southern Lebanon even after the announcement of the agreement.For now, the deal represents a rare diplomatic opening between two long-time enemies. However, Hezbollah’s outright rejection means that chances of a long-held ceasefire and subsequent broader peace remain uncertain.