Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut over US-Israel-Lebanon framework deal

• Lebanese president urges Washington to ‘keep standing’ by Lebanon’s institutions, army and people• Ceasefire holds unevenly as Israeli strikes continue in the south BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday urged the United States to stand by his country after a recent US-backed framework deal with Israel aiming to permanently end hostilities after the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. The deal reached in Washington calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army there, starting with two “pilot” areas. Hezbollah has rejected the deal, which does not set a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal. In a congratulatory message to President Donald Trump marking the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, Aoun urged Washington to “keep always standing beside Lebanon’s right and just causes, its institutions, army and people”. Aoun expressed hope that Lebanon could “turn the page on wars… and open a new page of hope, peace and stability”. In a message also marking the independence anniversary, the US embassy in Lebanon said on X that “it is with great pride that we stand with the people of Lebanon as they forge a brighter future — one of peace, prosperity, and promise long overdue”. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes days earlier. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, where its troops still occupy swathes of territory near the border. An agreement signed by Tehran and Washington on ending the regional war last month also established a ceasefire in Lebanon, which took effect on June 21. Days later, Lebanon and Israel agreed to the US-backed framework aiming to pave the way for a permanent end to hostilities. The United Nations Internatio­nal Organisation for Migration said this week that more than 640,000 displaced people have returned home since June 22. Lebanese authorities have said the war has killed some 4,300 people and displaced more than one million others. But many residents are unable to return to towns and villages near the southern border where Israeli troops are still present and many of which have suffered massive destruction. On a visit to the south on Saturday including the heavily damaged city of Nabatieh, Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed said authorities were working on a plan including for “prefabricated houses and rent assistance payments” to help people return home, or to areas nearby. Israeli has kept up intermittent strikes on south Lebanon despite the ceasefire. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said an Israeli strike on the village of Mansouri on Saturday wounded one person, also reporting Israeli artillery shelling elsewhere. Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2026

Lebanon’s president defends Lebanon-Israel framework agreement Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has pushed back against criticism of the country’s ceasefire framework with Israel signed last week in Washington after Hezbollah supporters took to the streets in protest against the agreement. “Lebanon’s problem is with Israel, and it is a sovereign state that decided to negotiate on its own behalf,” Aoun is reported as saying by Lebanon's National News Agency, adding that “it has not relinquished its legal, political or field principles in the framework agreement, as some are claiming.”  The framework was criticised by Hezbollah for not making the withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupying southern Lebanon contingent on the disarmament of Hezbollah. The president warned that “discord is forbidden” and discouraged people from taking to the streets in an address delivered to delegations from the Lebanese bar association and economic bodies. Signing ceremony of a trilateral framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon mediated by the US at the US Department of State in Washington, DC, on 26 June 2026 (Saul Loeb/AFP)

Lebanon’s Israel framework deal draws broad opposition but little appetite for confrontation Submitted by Adam Chamseddine on Tue, 06/30/2026 - 15:08 Criticism has extended beyond Hezbollah’s allies, but political factions appear determined to contain the fallout while awaiting the outcome of Iran-US negotiations US, Lebanese and Israeli officials at a signing ceremony in Washington on 26 June (AFP/Saul Loeb) Off The US-brokered framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in Washington on 26 June has triggered widespread political opposition in Lebanon, raising questions over sovereignty, accountability and the balance of obligations imposed on both sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation of the agreement as an achievement for Israel intensified the backlash, reinforcing the view amongst Lebanese critics that Beirut had made substantial concessions without securing an immediate ceasefire or a binding timetable for Israel’s withdrawal. Under the framework, the Lebanese army would assume control of designated “pilot zones”, dismantle the infrastructure of non-state armed groups and verify their disarmament before Israeli forces gradually redeploy. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have defended the agreement as the start of a process intended to restore state sovereignty and secure a complete Israeli withdrawal. But the political response has exposed a wide gap between the official narrative and the way much of Lebanon’s political class has interpreted the deal. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem described the agreement as “a humiliation, a disgrace and a surrender of sovereignty”, declaring it effectively null and void. The Higher Islamic Shia Council called it an “agreement of submission” imposed under American pressure, comparing it to the failed 17 May 1983 agreement with Israel and warning that it would deepen internal divisions. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the head of Amal movement said the framework was unbalanced and consolidated realities that served Israel at Lebanon’s expense. He warned that it carried serious political and sovereignty-related risks and could not serve as the basis for a just agreement protecting Lebanon’s rights and institutions. 'The Lebanese state wanted to say that it is not a card in Iran’s hands, that it has a different path, and that we are the decision-makers, not Iran' - Lebanese presidential source Walid Jumblatt, the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, criticised the negotiating team for overlooking Lebanon’s 1949 armistice agreement with Israel, which he noted had been referenced in the 1989 Taif Agreement, Aoun’s inaugural address and the government’s ministerial statement. The Free Patriotic Movement, the largest Christian party, said it supported a comprehensive and lasting peace, but argued that such a settlement could not be achieved through surrendering to Israeli demands or sacrificing Lebanese rights. It reiterated its support for placing weapons and decisions of war and peace exclusively in the hands of the state, while warning against pursuing that objective through internal conflict. The Popular Nasserist Organisation, a left-wing pan-Arab party, also rejected the agreement, saying it threatened Lebanese sovereignty and imposed unfair conditions affecting what it called the right of resistance. The breadth of opposition is politically significant. It extends beyond Hezbollah and its traditional ally Amal to Jumblatt, the Free Patriotic Movement and other forces that are not uniformly aligned with Hezbollah. Support has so far been concentrated among a smaller group of parties, largely within the Christian right, including the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb Party, the National Liberal Party and several independent MPs. More than just Hezbollah The breadth of dissent makes it difficult for the presidency and government to present criticism simply as an Iranian-backed campaign against the Lebanese state. There is also the challenge of domestic ratification of the agreement, which will eventually have to be approved in parliament or government. 'They're not all Hezbollah': Trump criticises Israel killing civilians in Lebanon Read More » Despite the severity of the opposition, however, the dispute has remained largely confined to statements and political positioning. A source in the Lebanese presidency told Middle East Eye that communication had taken place with opponents of the agreement to prevent the crisis from developing into an internal confrontation. Despite the rejectionist and escalatory positions, “there is an understanding with all the objecting parties not to blow up the situation internally,” the source said. According to the source, an influential Arab actor intervened to lower tensions and received a positive response from the major parties, particularly Amal, Hezbollah’s closest political ally. “There is work under way to control the post-agreement phase internally,” the source added. This restraint reflects an understanding that any confrontation over Hezbollah’s weapons could deepen Lebanon’s sectarian and political fragmentation and create conditions that benefit Israel. The presidency has portrayed the Washington negotiations as an assertion of Lebanese independence from Iran. Distancing Lebanon from Iran According to the presidential source, one of the agreement’s central objectives was to demonstrate that Lebanon was not merely a bargaining card in Tehran’s negotiations with Washington. “The Lebanese state wanted to say that it is not a card in Iran’s hands, that it has a different path, and that we are the decision-makers, not Iran,” the source said. The source added that this was also the outcome sought by friendly Arab states and the United States. Yet the framework has produced a contradiction at the heart of this sovereignty narrative. Lebanon’s obligations regarding disarmament, security control and the dismantling of non-state military infrastructure are explicit and measurable. Israel’s withdrawal, by contrast, remains gradual and conditional. The presidential source said Lebanon had received American guarantees that implementation in the pilot zones would be supervised by Washington, without direct coordination between the Lebanese and Israeli armies. Damascus races to reassure Beirut as Trump pushes Syria to take on Hezbollah Read More » They added that the visit of the head of US Central Command to Beirut was intended to reinforce this mechanism and that the pilot-zone model could later be expanded if it succeeded. According to the source, Lebanon had requested the security annex remain secret, saying the US State Department asked both parties whether they wanted it kept confidential and both agreed. Another controversial provision requires Lebanon and Israel to halt hostile or adverse activity against one another in international political and legal forums. Critics argue that this could restrict Lebanon’s ability to pursue accountability for alleged Israeli violations or support victims seeking justice. Thousands of Lebanese civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes since March, and in the earlier phase of the conflict with Hezbollah. The presidential source defended the negotiating team’s position, saying it believed Israel could benefit more from international litigation because Hezbollah had initiated the fighting by firing the first rockets. The source added that the clause would not prevent individuals, organisations or unofficial associations from independently pursuing legal action. Opponents counter that victims and NGOs cannot replace the legal authority, evidence and diplomatic weight of the Lebanese state. For now, Lebanon appears to have entered a phase of controlled confrontation: widespread rejection of the agreement combined with a shared reluctance to allow the dispute to become violent. Part of that restraint stems from Arab and American intervention. But it also reflects a belief that the Washington framework may not be implemented in its current form. Its fate may ultimately depend less on what was signed in Washington than on the separate negotiations between Iran and the United States in Switzerland, where the war in Lebanon, a ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal remain part of the wider regional settlement. Lebanon has entered a highly sensitive political storm, but one that political factions appear determined to contain while waiting to see whether the agreement is implemented, renegotiated or overtaken by the broader US-Iran track. Israel normalisation deals News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Hezbollah Supporters Block Roads, Encircle Govt Buildings In Beirut Over Israel Deal: 'They Sold Us Out' Mass protests broke out in Beirut on Friday into Saturday, with supporters of Hezbollah voicing their outrage at the Lebanese government having just signed a 'trilateral peace framework' with Israel and the United States, despite the IDF occupation of southern territory and sporadic Israeli bombings persisting.  Hundreds of motorcycle-riding supporters were also seen circling streets through central Beirut, near the parliament building and along airport road. In some cases protesters blocked roads near sensitive government buildings, and were seen burning tires. The national army has set up checkpoints, seeking to return order, but in some cases didn't immediately move to disperse the protests. via AFP "We certainly condemn and denounce this shameful agreement," a 30-year old protesters from Blida, a town in southern Lebanon that Israel has occupied for months, told the NY Times. According to more: One criticism of the preliminary deal is that the timeline for Israel’s withdrawal is not fixed, instead being based on how quickly Hezbollah can be disarmed. "The enemy is being granted freedom of movement and the ability to make whatever decisions it wants in the south," Mr. Kassem said. Washington has long been seeking to push Hezbollah's influence out of national politics, and to ultimately see the Iran-backed group disarmed and its power neutered. The protester's have in turn exclaimed:  "They sold us out!" The Trump administration and Israel have been hailing it as 'historic' - also as the US is seeking to ensure the conflict in Lebanon won't derail the broader peace deal with Iran, toward getting the Strait of Hormuz open again. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has meanwhile in new denunciatory words on Saturday charged that Lebanon's government has given legitimacy to Israel's "occupation for many years to come" by signing the deal. "This could even lead to the annexation of these lands to the Zionist entity," Qassem said. "We say to the Lebanese authorities: It is time for you to retract your sins that are destroying Lebanon." The Hezbollah Secretary-General vowed to remain "ready to cooperate and stand together for the sovereignty of Lebanon, the liberation of its land, the expulsion of the Israeli occupier." He also said that the US deal links Israel's withdrawal to Hezbollah's disarmament throughout Lebanon, which "is an extremely dangerous proposition that crosses all red lines and makes Lebanon a pawn in the hands of the Israeli enemy." Beirut right now! People and motorcycle groups have occupied the roads in Beirut in protest of the Lebanese authorities signing and agreement with Israeli enemy that "legalized " their occupation of South Lebanon and gave legal immunity to Netanyahu regarding his warcrimes. pic.twitter.com/acHBV3dFrb — Hadi Hoteit | هادي حطيط (@HadiHtt) June 26, 2026 "The authorities are legitimizing the occupation for many years to come, and this could even lead to the annexation of these lands to the Zionist entity. Any agreement must be confined to the area south of the Litani River," he added, stressing the Shia paramilitary group's resistance to these developments will be steadfast. Hezbollah had all along refused to be at the table for the Washington-hosted talks, and it accused Israel of a war of aggression on Lebanese territory, with an aim to expand Israel's borders. Tyler Durden Sat, 06/27/2026 - 11:05

Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut against Israel deal Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut from late Friday into Saturday to protest against a framework agreement reached between Lebanon, Israel and the United States. The protesters rode motorcycles through the Lebanese capital, including central Beirut, near parliament and along the airport road, hours after the agreement was announced. Footage shared by local media and on social media showed hundreds of Hezbollah supporters riding motorbikes and mopeds through Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh, which suffered widespread destruction in Israeli air strikes. Some protesters gathered near the seat of government and blocked a nearby main road, while other footage showed soldiers dispersing demonstrators who had blocked the airport road with burning tyres before the army reopened it, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said. The Lebanese army also set up temporary checkpoints across several parts of Beirut. Read more: Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut against Israel deal Hezbollah supporters take to the streets in the southern suburbs of Beirut to protest against the trilateral agreement that was signed between the US, Israel and Lebanon on 27 June 2026 (Ibrahim Amro/AFP)  

Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut against Israel deal Submitted by MEE staff on Sat, 06/27/2026 - 11:17 The agreement does not specify when or under what conditions Israel would withdraw from the large areas it occupies in Lebanon Hezbollah supporters take to the streets in the southern suburbs of Beirut to protest against the trilateral agreement that was signed between the US, Israel and Lebanon on 27 June 2026 (Ibrahim Amro/AFP) Off Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut from late Friday into Saturday to protest against a framework agreement reached between Lebanon, Israel and the United States. The protesters rode motorcycles through the Lebanese capital, including central Beirut, near parliament and along the airport road, hours after the agreement was announced. Footage shared by local media and on social media showed hundreds of Hezbollah supporters riding motorbikes and mopeds through Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh, which suffered widespread destruction in Israeli air strikes. Some protesters gathered near the seat of government and blocked a nearby main road, while other footage showed soldiers dispersing demonstrators who had blocked the airport road with burning tyres before the army reopened it, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said. The Lebanese army also set up temporary checkpoints across several parts of Beirut. Earlier on Friday, Israel and Lebanon signed the agreement in Washington following several days of talks aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The agreement, reached after five rounds of direct talks, includes a pilot effort under which Lebanese soldiers would take control of two areas occupied by Israel, as well as a process aimed at disarming Hezbollah. It does not, however, specify when or under what conditions Israel would withdraw from the large areas it occupies in Lebanon. Instead, it ties any withdrawal to security developments and the removal of any threat to Israel, effectively making it contingent on Hezbollah's disarmament. Hezbollah has long maintained that it will not disarm while Israel continues to pose a threat and occupy Lebanese territory. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the Lebanese authorities "will be unable to impose the implementation of the agreement signed in Washington unless they go, with American support, to civil war". Lebanon’s rulers have surrendered the country to Israel - this is no ceasefire Read More » "What happened in Washington is an attempt to disrupt the Islamabad path, and without the resistance [Hezbollah] nothing will pass," he added, referring to the initial agreement between the US and Iran to halt the wider regional war, which includes Lebanon. On Saturday afternoon, an Israeli army drone struck the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon, the NNA reported. An Israeli drone also dropped a sound bomb near a Lebanese army checkpoint in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Fadlallah said Hezbollah would resist any attempt by the Lebanese authorities to implement the agreement, adding that the group would hold even more firmly to its weapons. He described Hezbollah's opposition as "serious" and said it would prevent the authorities from fulfilling their commitments under the agreement. However, he stressed that Hezbollah was not seeking a confrontation with the Lebanese army, saying: "The army will remain, the resistance will remain and the people will remain." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the framework agreement allows Israeli forces to continue to occupy southern Lebanon if Hezbollah does not disarm. Netanyahu framed the signing of the deal as a "major blow" to Iran. "Iran is trying to force us into a withdrawal from southern Lebanon by force. In effect, Israel, Lebanon, and the United States are telling them: this is none of your business." An anchor on Israel's Channel 13, meanwhile, said sowing internal divisions in Lebanon had long been one of Israel's strategic objectives. "It seems we're leading Lebanon to a civil war. Maybe it's not so bad for us, let the Lebanese government fight Hezbollah... That's been the goal from the start," the anchor said. Israel's war on Lebanon News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0