A US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel was signed in Washington, D.C., and experts and Lebanese officials warn a clause in the deal could effectively block investigations and shield Israel from accountability for alleged war crimes. Critics note Hezbollah was not a party to the talks and the agreement does not require Israel to withdraw from the stretches of southern Lebanon it currently occupies. Lebanese protesters took to the streets after the signing, and parliament speaker Nabih Berri publicly said the deal "will not pass" and "will not be implemented." Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued after the agreement was signed, underscoring that the document has not produced a ceasefire on the ground. The dispute over the clause has already deepened political splits in Lebanon and threatens to leave victims and Lebanese courts unable to pursue legal remedies established by international or domestic investigations.
