JERUSALEM, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the U.S.-mediated framework agreement signed Friday between Israel and Lebanon paves the way to ending the conflict and eventually reaching a peace agreement between the two countries.
Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that "this agreement strengthens Israel and Lebanon, and weakens Iran and Hezbollah. This is a sign of things to come."
He added that under the agreement, the United States and Lebanon recognize Israel's right to maintain the "security zone" in southern Lebanon as long as it is necessary for Israel's security.
He stated that the Israeli military will continue to hold the "security zone" until Hezbollah and other "terror" organizations are disarmed.
Netanyahu noted that the framework agreement includes two areas near the northern boundary of the security zone, recommended by the Israeli military, where a pilot program will be launched to dismantle Hezbollah and transfer the area to the control of the Lebanese army.
He claimed that Israel has killed more than 9,000 Hezbollah militants since the start of the war and destroyed about 90 percent of the group's stockpile of 150,000 missiles and rockets.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Israel and Lebanon had reached a framework agreement for "lasting peace and security."
The agreement, signed at the end of the latest round of ambassador-level talks in Washington, D.C., called again for the implementation of a fragile ceasefire between the two nations. ■
