The Zionist Federation of Australia and the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council have welcomed the new Israel-Lebanon framework agreement as an important chance for Lebanon to restore its sovereignty and reduce Hezbollah’s influence.
The 14-point agreement sets out a phased process under which the Lebanese Armed Forces would gradually assume authority across Lebanese territory, starting with agreed pilot zones, with Israeli withdrawals tied to verified progress in disarming non-state armed groups and dismantling their military infrastructure.
ZFA president Jeremy Leibler said lasting security would remain impossible while the Iranian-backed organisation continued to operate as “a state within a state”.
“For decades, Hezbollah has undermined Lebanon’s democracy, crippled its economy and repeatedly attacked Israeli civilians. The Lebanese people deserve better,” Leibler said.
“Israel’s conflict has never been with the Lebanese people. It has been with Hezbollah.
“A sovereign Lebanon, with one government and one army, would be a positive development for both countries.”
ZFA chief executive Alon Cassuto called on Australia and other countries to support Lebanon’s efforts to establish state control throughout its territory.
“This is a chance for Lebanon to reclaim full control of its own territory. The international community should back that effort,” he said.
Cassuto said the agreement would ultimately be judged by whether Hezbollah surrendered its weapons and the Lebanese Government could enforce its authority nationwide.
“If this agreement helps end Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon, it will make both Israelis and Lebanese safer,” he said.
AIJAC also welcomed the agreement, describing it as a “historic breakthrough” that could eventually lead to full peace between Israel and Lebanon.
AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said the repeated conflicts between the two countries had largely resulted from Iran’s use of Hezbollah to place Lebanon on the front line against Israel.
“It is worth remembering that Israel and Lebanon have no significant territorial or other substantive disputes,” Rubenstein said.
He said the agreement recognised the shared interest of both countries in a secure and rebuilt Lebanon under full state sovereignty, without an armed group threatening Lebanese or Israeli civilians.
Rubenstein said progress towards Hezbollah’s disarmament would be central to both maintaining the ceasefire and creating the conditions for peace.
He welcomed what he described as a gradual, performance-based process that would not require major Israeli withdrawals until Lebanese forces had established control over areas previously used by Hezbollah as bases for attacks.
“Given the shortcomings and doubts that have previously afflicted Lebanese armed forces’ efforts to reassert control over Lebanese territory from Hezbollah, this appears to be the only formula with any hope of bringing stability and security to both the citizens of Lebanon and the residents of northern Israel,” he said.
Rubenstein also urged Australia and the wider international community to support the agreement while recognising Israel’s right to respond to imminent Hezbollah threats, as permitted under the deal.
Both organisations said the agreement’s success would depend on whether Lebanon could disarm Hezbollah and restore effective state authority across the country.