After years of mediation by the United States, the Government of Israel and Lebanon announced today the agreement in a landmark agreement to create a permanent border between the two countries. This dramatic event promises to usher in a new era of prosperity and stability in the Middle East and will provide significant strength to the people of the region and the world. Beyond providing great benefits to the people of Lebanon and Israel, today’s announcement demonstrates the power of regional cooperation to address shared challenges in the Middle East and beyond. It also underscores the power of change in American diplomacy.
This agreement protects the economic and security interests of Israel and Lebanon and marks a new chapter for people in the region. I thank the leaders of Israel and Lebanon for their willingness to negotiate for the best interests of their people, and I thank the Special Advisor to the President Amos Hochstein and his team for their diplomatic work in the bringing together the parties to carry out this transaction. Now it is very important that all parties fulfill the agreement quickly and keep their commitments to work in the implementation for the benefit of the region and the world.
